Kerala High Court Orders Inspection of Sabarimala Temple Valuables

The Kerala High Court has taken decisive action in response to significant lapses in managing the valuables of the Sabarimala temple. This move comes after a report from the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) Vigilance Officer highlighted discrepancies in the weight of gold-clad copper plates from the Dwarapalaka idols.

During Monday's session, a bench comprising Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and K V Jayakumar called for a comprehensive inspection, to be conducted by a retired district judge. The court also pointed out issues in record-keeping, urging a detailed audit of all valuables, including the Thiruvabharanam, and mandated that repairs to the sanctum doors be overseen by the temple's Executive Officer.

Revelations by the Vigilance Officer concerning the recovery of a previously missing gold-coated pedestal led the court to demand accountability beyond individual errors. The TDB has been allowed to reinstall repaired gold-clad plates, with the case scheduled to return to court at October's end.

(With inputs from agencies.)