NEW DELHI, INDIA, April 24, 2014 (Vancouverdesi): The Supreme Court Thursday entrusted the administration of the Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple in Kerala to a five-member committee headed by the district judge of Thiruvananthapuram. The court also said the keys of the temple vault holding its treasure would be handed over to the district judge.
The court’s interim order on the administration of the temple came on the recommendations of amicus curiae Gopal Subramaniam, who had sought overhauling of the functioning of the temple. Before passing the order, the court took on board counsel K.K. Venugopal and Additional Solicitor General K.V. Vishwanathan representing the royal family and the Kerala government, respectively.
The court appointed senior Indian Administrative Service officer and former administrator of the Guruvayur temple Satish Kumar as the executive officer of the Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple. After appointing Satish Kumar, the court said the incumbent executive officer and administrative officer would proceed on a four-month leave. The court said none of the properties of the temple would be alienated or dealt with.
The five-member committee will comprise the Thiruvananthapuram district judge, a tantri and chief nambi of the Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple and two more members, of which one will be appointed in consultation with the state government. If the district judge of Thiruvananthapuram is not a Hindu, then the senior-most judicial officer in the city would step in as head of the administration committee, the court said.