Delhi HC is likely to hear a PIL pertaining to entry of women into the Dargah of the Hazrat Nizamuddin.

The PIL wants to “declare the practice of prohibition on women for their entry inside the Sanctum Sanctorum of dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin to be illegal and unconstitutional”.

The petitioners have sought directions from the court in the same way as Supreme Court issued guidelines in relation to entry of women in the Sabarimala temple.

The petitioners are three female students studying Law. To their shock and utter surprise on their visit to the Nizamuddin Dargah they were prohibited from entering the Dargah. They found out that women are not allowed inside the sanctum sanctorum of the Dargah. All, the women were allowed to do was to watch from outside how men were praying inside.

“It was very shocking for us to see as a law student that such discrimination against women exists in the heart of Delhi. This on the face of the fact that recently judgements have been passed by the Supreme Court and other high courts to allow entry of women in the religious places without any discrimination. We say that this is gender discrimination and arbitrary denial of access to women in the sanctum sanctorum at the Nizamuddin Dargah,” read the plea.

Petitioners argue that women’s entry into the dargah of the Hazrat Nizamuddin is prohibited that when it is just 15 minutes away from the Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court.

—India Legal Bureau