The Kerala High Court on Monday ordered the state audit department director to examine the accounts related to the 'Ashtabhishekam' conducted at the Sabarimala temple over the last 10 years and submit a report by May 28 on whether the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) had incurred any loss from the sales.
Court Order Based on Vigilance Report
A bench of Justices V Raja Vijayaraghavan and K V Jayakumar issued the order on a report submitted by the Sabarimala special commissioner, based on a devaswom vigilance report alleging that Rs 5.15 lakh had been misappropriated by temple administrative officials in connection with the purchase of materials for conducting Ashtabhishekam during the last six Masapooja occasions.
Details of the Alleged Misappropriation
The items required for the Ashtabhishekam are panchamrutham, ghee, honey, bhasmam, kalabham, milk, tender coconut, and panineer. Of these, the first five items are sourced from the devaswom store, while milk, tender coconut, and panineer are purchased or procured by the administrative officer.
The report stated that, for each Ashtabhishekam, the administrative officer charged Rs 300 for the sale of the entire set of items without producing any bills or valid purchase vouchers to substantiate the expenditure. The report further noted that a vigilance report in the matter had pointed out that there was no justification for obtaining five items from the store and three items from outside while appropriating the entire expenses from the sale proceeds.
Court's Observations and Directions
After perusing the report, the division bench directed TDB's standing counsel to furnish details regarding the tenure of senior officers at Sannidhanam, including the executive officer, assistant executive officer, administrative officer, and other top-level officials, along with the duration of their postings at Sabarimala. The High Court observed that many top-level officers had been stationed at Sannidhanam for several years and remarked that this might not augur well for the efficient functioning of the temple.
Additionally, the High Court sought a statement from TDB regarding the accounts and records related to the amounts disbursed to the administrative officers towards supplier costs for Ashtabhishekam. The statement must also specify whether any of the top-level officers had faced disciplinary proceedings during their service and whether they had received any adverse remarks either from the court or from the board at any point in time.
The court's directive aims to ensure transparency and accountability in the management of temple funds, particularly in the conduct of important rituals like Ashtabhishekam.
