The Bombay High Court on Wednesday said there is no law that prevents women from entering a place of worship. The court was hearing a PIL filed by two activists from Pune – Vidya Bal and Nilima Varta – that challenged the century-old tradition of disallowing the entry of women inside the sanctum sanctorum of Maharashtra's Shani Shingnapur temple, The Times of India reported. Ruling that women cannot be barred from entering the temple in Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar district, the court said that women should have “equal access to places of worship”. It added that "women can go where men can", reported ANI.

The plea claimed that the prohibition “encouraged gender disparity” and was “arbitrary, illegal and violative of the fundamental rights of a citizen”. The court also sought to know the Maharashtra government’s stand on women’s entry into the Shani Shingnapur temple and directed it to reply in two days. It also directed the state government to provide protection to women in such places.

However, India Today reported that the court was hearing a petition filed by activist Trupti Desai, leader of the Bhumata Rangragini Brigade. Desai and other women activists of the group were detained while they were on their way to the Shani Shingnapur Temple on February 22.

Desai has been rallying for women's right to enter the inner sanctum of temples. She was detained during another such campaign on March 7, when she led supporters and tried to enter the Trimbakeshwar temple in Nashik district, which also does not allow women inside its inner sanctum. In her petition, Desai has demanded for action to be taken against those who violate “rules of equality”.