Kerala HC Rejects Plea Seeking Permission For Film Shooting At Vadakkunnathan Temple Ground

The Kerala High Court dismisssed a plea seeking permission for film shooting at Sree Vadakkunnathan Temple Ground.

The court upheld an order passed by the Special Devaswom Commissioner of the Cochin Devaswom Board refusing the permission to the proprietor of "Appu Pathu Pappu Production House" for shooting scenes of the film PANI.

The Division Bench of Justice Anil K Narendran and Justice Sophy Thomas observed: "Any permission granted for film shooting in the parking area of the Kshethra Maidan or near the roads leading to Sree Vadakkunnathan Temple from ‘Manikandanaal’ area, parking area, etc., will result in the movement of the devotees through those roads leading to the temple being restricted or regulated by the members of the production unit or even by ‘bouncers’ engaged by the production units in film shooting sites. Therefore, the Cochin Devaswom Board cannot grant permission for any such activities in Sree Vadakkunnathan Kshethra Maidan."

Advocate R Lakshmi Narayan and Advocate S Renjith, among others, appeared for the petitioner, while Standing Counsel KP Sudheer appeared for the respondents.

In this case, the petitioner was the owner of the film production and had submitted an application to the Special Devaswom Commissioner. This application had sought approval for filming certain scenes within the Kshethra Maidan, using the Maidan for parking the production team's vehicles, and allowing them to have meals in the Kshethra Maidan on the designated film shooting days in the Swaraj round.

It was noted that through a 2018 order, the Court had ruled that non-vegetarian food, bottles of alcohol and other prohibited articles are not permitted to be carried in any of the vehicles parked within the premises of the temple compound or the properties of the Cochin Devaswom Board contiguous to temples. In that context, it was said that, "Non-vegetarian food, bottles of alcohol and other prohibited articles cannot be permitted to be carried in any of the vehicles parked within the premises of the temple compound or the properties of the Board contiguous to the temple. The parking ground in Sree Vadakkunnathan Kshethra Maidan, which is a Devaswom land, is not a place where the members of the production unit of the petitioner can be granted permission to take food on the days in which film shooting takes place in the Swaraj round."

It was also observed that any permission granted for film shooting in the parking area of the Kshethra Maidan or near the road leading to Sree Vadakkunnathan Temple from ‘Manikandanaal’ area or the parking area in the Kshethra Maidan will result in the movement of the devotees through the roads leading to the temple being restricted or regulated by the members of the production unit or even by ‘bouncers’ engaged by the production units in film shooting sites. In that context, it was held that the Board could not grant such permissions in the Kshethra Maidan.

The Court also noted the difficulty faced by the Board towards maintaining Sree Vadakkunnathan Kshethra Maidan plastic-free and ensuring that the activities in the permitted areas of the Kshethra Maidan are not causing disturbance to the rituals and ceremonies in Sree Vadakkunnathan Temple. It said that, "The security staff deployed by the Cochin Devaswom Board for watch and ward duty in Sree Vadakkunnathan Kshethra Maidan, who are few in number, are unable to prevent such activities in the Kshethra Maidan".

Cause Title: Joseph George vs Cochin Devaswom Board & Ors.

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