SC extends stay on women's entry in Haji Ali Dargah till Oct. 17

New Delhi [India], Oct. 7 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Friday extended the stay on the entry of women in Haji Ali Dargah till October 17 after the dargah management said that it would come out with a progressive stand in two weeks. Hearing the matter, the apex court said troubles are created when at a place, men are allowed and women are not. The apex court will hear the matter next on October 17. The top court pronounced the order while hearing the appeal filed by the Haji Ali Dargah Trust, challenging the Bombay High Court's verdict allowing women in the inner sanctum of the dargah. On August 26, the Bombay High Court lifted the ban imposed on women from entering the inner sanctum of Haji Ali Dargah in Mumbai. Noorjehan Fiaz and Zakia Soman, founders of the Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan (BMMA), had petitioned the Bombay High Court against the ban, calling it unconstitutional. The 2011 ban violates the women's right to freedom of religion enshrined in Article 25 of the constitution. The PIL stated that gender justice is inherent in the Quran and there is no prohibition on women visiting graves. Prior to 2011, the dargah did not discriminate against women and allowed free entry of people across religions. On March 2011, the dargah's board of trustees imposed a ban on women's entry, calling it a "grievous sin". On July 10, 2015, a bench headed by Justice V.M. Kanade set aside previous order framing eight questions by an earlier bench of the High Court on maintainability and decided to hear the PIL on merits. (ANI)