New Delhi, April 8 -- The Supreme Court on Tuesday indicated that the concept of "untouchability" may not be an appropriate ground to test the validity of restrictions on the entry of menstruating women into Kerala's Sabarimala temple, with the nine-judge bench observing that Article 17 (prohibiting untouchability) cannot be stretched to cover a practice that operates for a limited period each month.

"Untouchability has its own history in India and to get over that Article 17 was made a fundamental right. But Article 17 in the context of Sabarimala.we don't know how it will be argued," the bench, headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, remarked during the hearing.

In a pointed observation, Justice BV Nagarathna , the only woman jud...