Kerala. High Court on Tuesday held that the District Administration or the Police could not insist that only ‘politically neutral’ coloured decorative materials be used for temple festivals.
“Politics has no role to play in the conduct of daily worship and ceremonies and festivals in temples. A worshipper or a devotee has no legal right to insist that saffron/orange-coloured decorative materials alone are used for festivals in a temple under the management of the Travancore Devaswom Board. Similarly, the District Administration or the Police cannot insist that only ‘politically neutral’ coloured decorative materials are used for temple festivals. The District Administration or the police cannot meddle with the power of the Travancore Devaswom Board in conducting Kaliyoottu festival in accordance with the custom, rituals and practices of that temple”, the Division Bench comprising Justice Anil K. Narendran and Justice P.G. Ajithkumar observed.
It went on to hold however, that, “in case there is an apprehension of any untoward incident in the temple premises or in the near vicinity of the temple, that may hamper the law & order situation, which would affect the smooth conduct of the festival, the District Administration and the police shall take appropriate steps to ensure that law and order in the temple premises and in the near vicinity of the temple is maintained properly”.
The Court in this case was dealing with two writ petitions that had been filed challenging the orders of the District Magistrate and the Police directing the use of only ‘politically neutral’ colours in the decorations made in connection with the Kaliyoottu festival in Major Vellayani Bhadrakali Devi Temple. One of the petitions had been filed by the Temple Advisory Committee, while the other had been filed by a devotee.
