Order on women’s entry in Haji Ali reserved till June 28

The Bombay high court on Thursday reserved a judgement till June 28 on the PIL challenging a decision taken by Haji Ali dargah Trust of not allowing women entry into the sanctum sanctorum of the dargah. The division bench headed by Justice V.M. Kanade said it would pronounce judgement on the PIL on June 28. The court however, asked petitioner’s lawyer to submit a copy of judgement of the Bombay high court in case of Shani Shingnapur temple and also inform about the status of the petition being heard by Supreme Court on ban on entry of women in Shabrimala temple.

The bench said that these matters are on different Act, however the issue is similar and hence the court wanted to take a look at those matters as well.

Dr Noorjehan Safia Niaz and Zakia Soman of Bhartiya Muslim Mahila Andolan, through advocate Raju More have filed the PIL. They have contended that women were allowed to go to inner sanctorum of Haji Ali dargah from 1865 to June 2012, however trustees denied access to women at this portion of mazar and according to petitioners this decision is gender-biased and violates their rights given in the Constitution of India.

Though the court had advised the petitioners and the dargah trustees to solve the issue amicably, since their meeting failed, the court has reserved its judgement on the issue.