SC decides future course of action for managing Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple

The top court also listed out the work to be done by the Administrative and the Advisory Committees they shall do well to discharge all their functions including performance of the worship of the deity, maintenance of its properties, diligently and in the best interest of the Temple, and provide adequate and requisite facilities to the worshippers It said that the panels shall preserve all treasures and properties endowed to Sree Padmanabhaswamy and those belonging to the Temple and protect all tenanted properties and take appropriate measures to ensure reasonable returns from such tenanted properties.

Upholding the centuries-old administrative rights of erstwhile royal family of Travancore over historic Padmanabhaswamy Temple, the Supreme Court on Monday also decided the “way forward” in managing the affairs of the 13th century temple, which was rebuilt after a major fire had damaged it in 1686

A bench comprising Justices U U Lalit and Indu Malhotra agreed to the proposals of the legal heirs of Uthradam Thirunal Marthanda Varma on setting up of the panels to manage the affairs of the temple. “The legal issues having been dealt with, we must now consider what should be the ‘way forward’," the bench observed and gave a slew of directions for future management of the one of the richest temples of the country. “Having given our anxious consideration to the rival suggestions, the composition of the Committees as suggested by the appellants (royal family) deserves acceptance, especially in light of the conclusions arrived by us that the Managership or the Shebaitship of the Temple continues with the Family,” it said. The Composition of the Administrative Committee as suggested is broad based and would not be loaded in favour or against the Trustee, it said, adding that the present interim panel and other panels, in which District Judges is the part, have conducted themselves quite well. “In our view, a minor change in the Administrative Committee suggested by the appellants in their Note is called for. Instead of a retired Indian Administrative Service Officer of the rank of Secretary to the Government of Kerala as the Chairperson of the Administrative Committee, in the interest of justice, the District Judge, Thiruvananthapuram shall be the Chairperson of the Administrative Committee,” the apex court said. It said that as the suggestions, the family members of the royal family “shall not be entitled to draw any remuneration for his or their services as the Manager or Trustee.” “The Executive Officer appointed by the Administrative Committee shall be entitled to a modest and reasonable remuneration to be fixed by the Administrative Committee,” it said. The top court also listed out the work to be done by the Administrative and the Advisory Committees they shall do well to discharge all their functions including performance of the worship of the deity, maintenance of its properties, diligently and in the best interest of the Temple, and provide adequate and requisite facilities to the worshippers

It said that the panels shall preserve all treasures and properties endowed to Sree Padmanabhaswamy and those belonging to the Temple and protect all tenanted properties and take appropriate measures to ensure reasonable returns from such tenanted properties. The top court asked the panels to “ensure that all rituals and religious practices are performed in accordance with the instructions and guidance of the Chief Thantri of the Temple and according to custom and traditions and in temporal matters, the Committees shall be guided by the advice given by the Chief Thanthri.” It said that the panels shall take steps to return to the state the amounts expended by it as catalogued in the documents. “All the income accruing to the Temple, as well as the offerings made by the worshippers, shall be expended in the following manner: (i) To improve the facilities for the worshippers; and (ii) For such religious and charitable purposes as the Advisory Committee may deem appropriate; and (iii) In investments that will fetch reasonable returns and ensure that the properties of the Temple are completely safe and secure. “(f) Recover and retrieve any property or funds of the Temple which have been put to misuse or have been in unauthorized occupation or misappropriated. (g) Shall order audit for the last 25 years as suggested by the learned Amicus Curiae,” the judgement said. The audit shall be conducted by a firm of reputed Chartered Accountants and the Advisory Committee shall also consider what further steps need to be taken for the preservation of the Temple properties, both movable and immovable, it said. Take appropriate steps for conservation of the Temple and its precincts, as well as for improvement of all the facilities, the court said. On the issue reopening and inventorization of mystic vault ‘B’ (Kallara), the top court said “We deem it appropriate to leave this issue to the best judgement and discretion of the Committees”. The court has asked the two panels, to be formed, to file “Reports in this Court by the second week of December, 2020 stating all the developments in brief till then”.