Funds Of Two Temples Under Guruvayoor Devaswom Deposited In Co-Operative Banks: High Court Seeks Board's Response On Plea For Securing Funds

The Kerala High Court has directed the Managing Committee of the Guruvayoor Devaswom Board to file an affidavit explaining the facts and circumstances, after it was told by the Board that the funds of two temples under the Board are deposited in two Co-operative Banks instead of nationalised or scheduled banks. 

The Bench comprising Justice Anil K. Narendran and Justice Sophy Thomas was considering a Writ Petition praying inter alia for direction to the Board to secure the deposits of Guruvayoor Devaswom in Nationalised Banks only, filed in the wake of the recent revelation about large-scale mismanagement of Co-operative Banks in the state. 

Advocates K.R Rajkumar and Jagadeesh Lakshman appeared for Dr. P.S Mahendra Kumar, the Petitioner in the case. Standing Counsel T.K Vipindas appeared for the Board. 

The Standing Counsel told the Court that almost 60% of the total deposits of Guruvayur Devaswom are in Nationalised Banks and the remaining deposits are in Scheduled Bank and other banks under the control of the Reserve Bank of India. "In respect of two Keezhedam Temples, in the absence of a Nationalised Bank or Scheduled Bank in the vicinity, the Managing Committee is maintaining Savings Bank Account at Perakam Service Co-operative Bank and Erimayur Service Co-operative Bank", the Court was told. 

"The learned Standing Counsel would submit that an affidavit on behalf of the 2nd respondent, explaining the facts and circumstances, shall be placed on record within a week", the Court ordered. 

The Writ Petition also prays for direction to the Board to conduct an audit of its accounts and place the same before the Court and publish it on the official website. It also seeks a direction to conduct a survey of the land owned by the Guruvayoor Devaswom and publish the list of properties of the temple on the official website.  

"In respect of audit in Guruvayur Devaswom this Court has already initiated a suo motu proceedings, which is numbered as DBP No.61 of 2023. List this writ petition, along with DBP No.61 of 2023, on 11.10.2023", the Court ordered. 

The Writ Petition says that when the temples in Kerala are facing financial difficulty, it is painful to find in the media that the funds of the major Temples like Guruvayoor are being diverted to Co-Operative Societies and private entities which make huge profits.

The petitioner claims to be an ardent devotee of Lord Guruvayurappan and a social worker committed to working towards the upliftment of temples which are dilapidated and are not looked after by their custodians.

"While the other religious communities are using the money coming into their coffers by building institutions for the upliftment of the members of their community, here the money flowing into Devaswom which are offered by the Devotees are being used by other private entities to make profit by utilising these huge amounts from the Devaswom Board”, says the petition.

“The extent of money deposited in the Cooperative Societies are not disclosed. The Guruvayoor Devaswom is receiving huge amounts as donations to the tune of Rs.400 crores every year. However, the information in the Exhibit P2 provided by the Devaswom, it shows only to the tune of Rs.1737.04 crores is in its account. These deposits do not tally with the yearly receipts by the Devaswom”, claims the petitioner.

The plea states that Guruvayoor Devaswom being a public authority has the duty to divulge information with regard to the land it holds on its websites so that the devotees.

“If the people who are supposed to guard the assets of the Temples does not act in the interest of the temple its devotees and the Idol, the devotees have nowhere to go except this Honourable Court. … There are very many temples in and around Kerala which does not have the minimal financial resources for even to put up a ‘Vilakku’ with one ‘Thiri’ inside the Sreekovil. There are temples which does not have access from the road”, the petition reads.

Cause Title- Dr. P.S. Mahendra Kumar v. State of Kerala and Others

Click here to read/download the Order