The Bombay High Court on Friday allowed women to enter the inner sanctum of the Haji Ali dargah. The HC said women should be permitted in the dargah along with men and asked the Maharashtra government should ensure their safety.
The HC also said that the ban imposed on women is contrary to the fundamental rights of a person as provided in Constitution.
A PIL in the case was filed in court by Noorjehan Niaz and Zakia Soman of the Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan.
Calling the judgement historic, Zakia said, "Our right as per the Quran and the Constitution has been restored."
The petitioners had argued that women were allowed entry in the Dargah before 2012.
The Maharashtra government had also earlier told the court that the Haji Ali Dargah trust cannot ban the entry of women from the shrine's inner sanctum. The Maharashtra government had said that offering prayers should be open to both men and women, asserting that the ban by the Haji Ali trust cannot override the right to equality.
A spokesperson for the trust said they will appeal against the ruling in the Supreme Court.
The trust in June 2012 had barred women's entry on the grounds that in Islam women are not allowed to touch the tombs of male saints and it was a "sin" for them to enter the area where the grave is located.
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