Delhi HC issues notice in plea seeking entry of women inside Nizamuddin Dargah

The Delhi High Court today issued notice to the Centre and the Delhi government in a petition seeking to declare the prohibition of women from entering the Nizamuddin Dargah unconstitutional..The petition seeks directions to the Delhi government to frame guidelines to ensure the entry of women into the Nizamuddin Dargah..The matter was listed for hearing before a Division Bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V Kameswar Rao..The petition was preferred by three female law students after they were refused entry into the sanctum sanctorum of the shrine in Delhi..Filed through Advocate Kamlesh Kumar Misra, the plea argues that the practice of not allowing entry of women into the Dargah is in violation of Articles 14,15 and 25 of the Constitution of India..“Nizamuddin Dargah is open to people all over the world, irrespective of their caste, creed or sex, etc. and Once a public character is attached to a place of worship, all the rigors of Articles 14, 15 and 25 of the constitution of India would come into play and the the management of the Nizamuddin Dargah cannot justify its decision to not to allow entry of women into the Dargah.”.The petitioners further claim that the Dargah management “should have no right” to restrict the entry of women into a public place of worship..It is thus prayed that a direction be issued to immediately remove the signage/display boards inside or nearby the Nizamuddin Dargah announcing the prohibition of entry of women..The matter will be next heard on April 11, 2019.