Kochi (VSK). Kerala High Court has ordered to Malabar Devaswom Board (MDB) not to appoint any party man as non-hereditary Trustees for temples under the Board. CPM Local Committee (LC) Secretary, Branch Secretary and DYFI Zonal Secretary are illegally appointed, by MDB, as trustees in Pookkottu Kaleekavu Temple, Kadamboor Pookkottu, Ottappalam in Palakkad district. Hindu Aikyavedi district president P.N. Sreeraman and Anathanarayanan had moved a petition in the court in this regard. High court’s order has been issued in the light of this petition. According to this order, the trustees appointed against the spirit of this order, should either resign and go or DB should expel them. Hereafter trustees should be appointed from among the devotees.
Devaswom Bench of the High Court consisting of Justice Anil K. Narendran and Justice P.G. Ajithkumar said in the order that persons who do face criminal cases should not be made a trustee. DB should follow the instructions contained in the HC order of last year pertaining to Chathu Achan case. In the case of Kaleekavu temple, MDB failed to look into the active politics and criminal case background of the nominees.
High Court said in Chathu Achan case that –
- A regular devotee of the temple alone should be made a trustee. He should believe in idol worship and staying in the same taluk where the temple situates.
- People busy with their personal job and those who are active in political activities should not wish to be a trustee.
- MDB Assistant Commissioner should make sure that this order is adhered to.
Chathu Achan case was in connection with Kalleekavu Emoor Bhagavati 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 Mathadipathi of the Ahobilam Math 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.
It is to be remembered that there is another petition already before the Supreme Court praying for the abolition of the DB control over the temples in Kerala. Petitioners are Dr. Subramaniam Swamy and Adv. T.G. Mohandas, a nationalist intellectual in Kerala.
