New Delhi/Kochi: A contempt of court plea has been submitted against Kerala BJP chief PS Sreedharan Pillai, Sabarimala priest Kandararu Rajeevaru, actor Kollam Thulasi and a few others in the Supreme Court over their recent comments over the apex court verdict on the entry of young women to the Ayyappa Temple in Sabarimala.

The Chief Justice will consider the petition.

The petition was also filed against Ramaraja Varma of Pandalam Royal family and BJP leader KJ Muraleedharan Unnittan. It was filed by lawyers Dr T Geena Kumai and AV Varsha.

Earlier, the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had denied the sanction to move the contempt of court petition against these people.

Mehta had then observed that the statements issued by Pillai, Rajeevaru and others opposing the apex court verdict only amounted to constructive criticism. Moreover, contempt of court petitions cannot be allowed based on news reports, he added.

Women move Kerala HC

Meanwhile, a couple of women have moved the Kerala High Court, seeking protection to enter the Lord Ayyappa Temple in Sabarimala. The court is likely to consider the plea Friday itself.

The Sabarimala temple had witnessed frenzied protests opposing the entry of women belonging to the child-bearing age into the shrine after the Supreme Court verdict permitted women of all age groups to offer prayers at the hill shrine.

The Ayyappa temple was opened on November 16 for the over-two-month pilgrimage season amid tension. Though it is nearly two months since the Supreme Court delivered its verdict, no women in the traditionally barred age group of 10-50 years has made it to the temple.