A writ petition challenging the decision of the Travancore Devaswom Board to segregate the oblated gold, silver, and antique ornaments of temples was dismissed by the Kerala High Court.
The petition was moved by R.V. Babu, general secretary of the Hindu Aikya Vedi.
The petitioner contended that the segregation of the ornaments was being carried out for selling them without obtaining the permission of the court.
He had also questioned the decision of the board to lease out temple properties for cultivation. The standing counsel of the board submitted that the decision to segregate the material was taken for preparing an inventory.
A Division Bench consisting of Justices C.T. Ravikumar and K. Haripal dismissed the petition considering the board’s submission that even after the segregation of the articles, it would not be appropriated in any manner without obtaining the permission of the court.
Nothing objectionable
The court noted that it did not find any objectionable matter in the segregation of materials.
The Bench noted that the board had earlier cancelled its decision to lease out the properties to organisations and individuals for farming. It had also decided to utilise the land through its staff and temple advisory committees for farming.
Welcome change
The board submitted that the proposal was to cultivate vegetables, flowering plants, plantains, tuber crops, paddy, coconut, areca nut, grass, and medical plants. The Bench felt that the decision to carry out such cultivation without leasing out the properties was a welcome change in the policy and an ideal decision.
