The District Administration of Ahmednagar has called for a meeting between the Shani Shingnapur temple management and protesters to discuss the impasse over the ban on women from entering the temple's inner sanctum, reported The Times of India. Bhumata Brigade head Trupti Desai, temple trustees, the local MP and MLAs, the village head and his deputy have been invited for the meeting, scheduled to be held at 12.30pm on Saturday.

The meeting was scheduled following Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's assurance to look into the demand raised by the women activists, who tried to enter the inner shrine of the temple on Republic Day, but were stopped by police. The temple drew attention in November 2015 after a woman had offered prayers in breach of the age-old practice that prohibits the entry of women. The management had suspended seven security men and performed rituals to purify the shrine.