Kerala Director General of Police Loknath Behera said on Friday that women police personnel will be posted at Sabarimala this month, to facilitate pilgrimage of female devotees, following a Supreme Court order in September allowing women to enter the temple. Previously, women between the ages of 10 and 50 were banned from visiting the shrine.

Behera said everyone in the police force will have to perform their duties irrespective of their religion or political opinions, PTI reported. “They [women] will be posted there [at Sabarimala],” he told reporters in Kochi. “We are a law enforcement agency. No gender, no religion, nothing. We all have to perform our duties.”

He said 600 women personnel will be required, ANI reported. “Safety and security of women visiting Sabarimala temple is extremely important,” Behera said.

Meanwhile, the Nair Service Society, the royal family of Pandalam town and family of the temple’s chief priest have said they would file a review petition in the top court against its order.

The Left Democratic Front government has decided to implement the judgement immediately. However, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress have both accused it of “undue haste” in doing so. Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala said on Thursday “would lend all support to believers whose sentiments have been bruised by the verdict”.

Kerala BJP President PS Sreedharan Pillai said the party “will go to any extent to protect the traditions at Sabarimala”.