Mode of Reaching Temple Not Essential to Faith: Kerala HC Rejects Sabarimala Path PIL

The Kerala High Court has refused a plea seeking early opening of a forest path as a legitimate route to the Sabarimala temple on religious grounds. Petitioners argued that taking this path was an essential religious practice, particularly for certain pilgrims. However, the Court held that the mode of reaching a place of worship does not necessarily constitute a protected religious practice under law. The bench emphasized that there is no legal mandate requiring that access to a sacred site must be via a particular path, especially when safety, administrative concerns, and broader public interest are considered. The Court’s decision underlines judicial restraint in interfering with religious practices that do not have a constitutional guarantee simply because petitioners may devalue conventional access routes.