India’s Supreme Court on Thursday referred a decision to lift a centuries-old ban on women of menstruating age entering a Hindu temple to a larger bench of judges, delaying a final verdict in the case that has divided opinion.

Some women had defied the traditional ban on entering the temple in the southern state of Kerala, enraging conservative Hindu groups, sparking protests and drawing the Supreme Court into the controversy.

But many devotees have refused to abide by the ruling and subsequent attempts by women to visit it had been blocked.

About 60 petitions were filed seeking the re-imposition of the ban. The issue will now be taken up by a larger, seven-judge bench, the Supreme Court said.