The Supreme Court on Friday extended the stay granted by the Bombay high court to facilitate an appeal against its decision to lift the ban on the entry of women near the sanctum sanctorum of the famous Haji Ali Dargah, till October 17 when it will hear the matter.

However, during the hearing, a bench comprising Chief Justice T.S. Thakur and Justice A.M. Khanwilkar expressed hope that the Haji Ali Dargah Trust, which has challenged the high court judgement, “will take a stand which is progressive”.

The court adjourned the matter at the request of senior advocate Gopal Subramaniam, who appeared for the Trust.

“The order of the HC granting a stay on operation of its judgement will continue till the next date of hearing on October 17,” the bench said. Advocate Subramaniam assured the bench that he was on a “progressive mission” and said all holy books and scriptures promoted equality and nothing that is regressive in character should be suggested.

The bench also remarked that “if you are not allowing both men and women to go beyond a point, there is no problem. But if you are allowing some to go beyond a point while others cannot, it is a problem.”

The bench said that “the problem is not only among Muslims, but among Hindus also”.

The counsel, appearing for a women’s group which has challenged the practice of the trust to not allow women near the sanctum sanctorum, submitted that the position was different before 2011 than what it is today.

The trust moved the apex court challenging the Bombay HC order lifting the ban on women from entering the sanctum sanctorum of the renowned Muslim shrine in South Bombay.