Supreme Court upholds Royals’ right to run Padmanabhaswamy temple

It set aside the Kerala High Court’s 2011 verdict which had directed the State government to set up a trust to take control of management and assets of the temple.

A bench headed by Justice U U Lalit said that as an interim measure, the District Judge of Thiruvananthapuram will head an administrative committee to manage the temple’s affairs. The top court delivered the verdict on a batch of appeals, including the one filed by legal representatives of the Travancore royal family, challenging the January 31, 2011 verdict of the high court. The sprawling temple, an architectural splendour in granite, was rebuilt in its present form in the 18th century by the Travancore Royal House which had ruled southern Kerala and some adjoining parts of Tamil Nadu before integration of the princely State with the Indian Union in 1947. While pronouncing the judgement, the Apex Court held that the death of earlier ruler of Travancore royal family does not affect the right of ‘Shebaitship’ (the right to manage the deity and the temple as a priest) of Marthanda Varma, the brother of last ruler of the royal family, and his legal heirs. While making an interim arrangement to manage the affairs of the temple, the apex court said that it will remain in force till a fresh committee is set up and all the members of the committee must be Hindus.

The controversy over the administration and management of the historic temple was pending in the apex court for last nine years in the wake of charges of alleged financial irregularities.