Bhubaneswar, May 8 -- The Odisha State Law Commission has recommended amending the Sri Jagannath Temple Act to enforce a stricter dress code at the 12th-century Jagannath temple in Puri, including barring entry to women wearing shirts and jeans or pants.

The proposal, currently under consideration by the state government, seeks to provide legal backing to earlier temple guidelines introduced in January 2024 that restricted western and revealing outfits but faced enforcement challenges in the absence of statutory support.

As per the proposed amendment to the Act, male devotees would be allowed to wear traditional attire such as dhoti and kurta, or alternatives like churidar or formal shirts and trousers, while women above the age of 10 w...