Kerala High Court has ordered to Malabar Devaswom Board not to appoint any party man as a non-hereditary Trustee for temples under the Board. CPM Local Committee Secretary, Branch Secretary and DYFI Zonal Secretary are illegally appointed, by Malabar Devaswom Board, as trustees in Pookottu Kalikavu Temple, Kadambur Pookkottu, Ottappalam in Palakkad District.
Hindu Aikya Vedi District President PN Sreeraman and Anathanarayanan had moved a petition in the court in this regard. The High Court’s order has been issued in light of this petition. According to this order, the trustees appointed against the spirit of this order, should either resign and go or Devaswom Board should expel them. Hereafter trustees should be appointed from among the devotees.
Devaswom Bench of the High Court consisting of Justice Anil KNarendran and Justice P G Ajithkumar said in the order that persons who do face criminal cases should not be made a trustee. Devaswom Board should follow the instructions contained in the High Court order of last year pertaining to K Chathu Achan case.
In the case of Kalikavu temple, Malabar Devaswom Board failed to look into the active politics and criminal case background of the nominees.
In the K Chathu Achan case, the High Court said that:
A regular devotee of the temple alone should be made a trustee. He should believe in idol worship and stay in the same taluk where the temple situates
People busy with their jobs and those active in political activities should not wish to be a trustee
Malabar Devaswom Board Assistant Commissioner should ensure this order is adhered to
K Chathu Achan case was in connection with Kalikavu Emoor Bhagavathy temple, Palakkad
Kerala High Court’s order comes close on the heel of the Supreme Court’s decline to entertain Andhra Pradesh Government appeal against High Court Order that only the Matadhipathi (administrative head) of the Ahobila Mutt can be in-charge of Ahobilam temple; in another words, Executive Officer appointed under the State’s religious endowments law, cannot take over the Ahobila temple Administration.
Remember that there is another petition already before the Supreme Court praying for the abolition of the Devaswom Board control over the temples in Kerala to which the petitioners are Dr Subramaniam Swamy and Adv TG Mohandas, a nationalist intellectual in Kerala.
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