Transgender person moves Kerala High Court alleging denial of entry to Sabarimala

The Kerala High Court on Monday sought the State government's response to a plea filed by a transgender devotee alleging denial of permission to enter Sabarimala temple due to her gender [Sathyashri Sharmila Rehemathali v State of Kerala & ors].

A bench of Justice Gopinath P and Justice S Manu issued notice to the State and posed the matter to September 3 for further consideration.

The petition was filed by Sathyashri Sharmila Rehemathali, who identifies as a transgender woman and claims that she is a devote and a regular pilgrim to Sabarimala.

According to the petition, Sharmila reached Pamba on August 20 to get Lord Ayyappa's darshan, after observing the required Vratham and carrying her Irumudi (sacred rituals undertaken by devotees).

However, around 3:30 PM, she was stopped during a police inspection near the Pamba Ganapathi Temple and informed that she would not be permitted to proceed uphill because she was a transgender person.

As per the petition, officers at the Pamba Police Station told her that the Travancore Devaswom Board had instructed the police not to permit transgender persons to proceed to Sabarimala.

Sharmila asked the authorities to show her the written order, circular or notification, imposing such a restriction, but was told that the document could not be shown to her.

She further pointed out that she had previously visited the temple on January 3 and April 15, 2026, and had been permitted to complete her pilgrimage and receive darshan.

The petitioner therefore approached the Court, challenging the sudden restriction on her entry to the temple solely on account of her transgender identity as arbitrary and unconstitutional.

She also relied on Section 3(e) of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, which prohibits denial of or unfair treatment in, access to public places and religious institution, stating that the authorities failed to enforce the statutory protections.

The petitioner has sought, among other reliefs, permission to undertake the pilgrimage to Sabarimala and offer prayers, besides direction to the state government to disclose and publish any circular or notification that restricts the entry of transgender devotees.

She had specifically sought permission to visit Sabarimala on August 26, for Thiruvonam, to fulfil an offering to the deity, however, no such order was granted by the Court.

The petitioner is represented by advocates Padma Lakshmi and Aleena Dileepkumar.

Standing counsel G Biju appeared for the Travancore Devaswom Board.