Court Orders Temple Fest Money Audits Amid Political Controversy

The Kerala High Court has directed the Travancore Devaswom Board to oversee money collection during temple festivals, ensuring transparency and auditing. The court's instructions came after complaints about inappropriate political displays during a festival in a Kollam district temple managed by the Board, emphasizing the separation of religious and political activities.

The Kerala High Court has issued an order to the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), emphasizing the imperative of preventing unauthorized monetary collections during temple festivals. This decision follows reports of political displays at a recent festival in Kollam district, which sparked significant debate among religious communities.

A bench of Justices Anil K Narendran and Muralee Krishna S highlighted the importance of ensuring that funds collected by Temple Advisory Committees are transparently managed, with proper documentation and audits. These measures are intended to preserve religious sanctity and uphold fiduciary integrity.

The case gained attention when advocate Vishnu Sunil Panthalam raised concerns over the display of political flags and the performance of partisan songs at the festival. The Court underscored that politics should remain separate from religious events, a sentiment echoed in its directive for stricter regulatory oversight by the TDB.

(With inputs from agencies.)