The Board, which also comprise the state government nominees, told a five-judge Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi that it is high time that a particular class not be discriminated on the ground of 'biological attributes'.
While Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan questioned 'the haste shown' in reopening the temples, state Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran said the decision was only in line with the Centre's guidelines in allowing places of worship to permit entry of devotees.
The court noted that several devotees visiting the Jagannath temple in Puri were being harassed.
Prayar Goapalakrishnan, president of TDB, said the board was against banning the pyrotechnics during temple festivals as they are part of rituals.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan made it clear that the Left government was with the believers.
A 12-hour hartal is being observed against the preventive detention of a Hindu Aikya Vedi leader.
The police has registered a case against six persons, including members of temple managing committee and associates of firework contractors, on attempt to murder and other charges in connection with the Putttingal Devi temple fire tragedy, even as the toll rose to 109.
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