Flex boards congratulating state govt, TDB not permitted in temples: Kerala HC

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Tuesday said flex boards praising or congratulating the state government and the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) are not permitted in temples as devotees go there to see God and not the faces of the CM, MLA or Board members.

The ruling by a bench of Justices Anil K Narendran and Muralee Krishna S came during a hearing of a plea initiated by the High Court on its own based on a complaint against a flex board put up at the Thuravoor Mahakshetram (temple) near Cherthala in Alappuzha district of the state.

The bench said that the flex board, carrying photographs of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, state Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan, the TDB president and the MLA of the constituency, congratulated the LDF and the Board for permitting 'annadanam' for Sabarimala pilgrims during the ongoing Mandalakala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season.

Expressing displeasure over the incident, the bench said, "These kinds of activities cannot be permitted. Do not be under the impression that you (TDB) are the owner of the temples. The Board is a trustee which manages the temples under it."

Devotees go to the temples to see God and not to see the faces of the CM, MLA or TDB members, the court added.

It further said that the Thuravoor temple was an 'edathavalam' (halting point) for Sabarimala pilgrims during the pilgrimage season and it was the duty of the TDB to provide facilities for devotees there.

The court also said that setting up such flex boards was "not the job of the temple advisory committee" and the money received from devotees was not to be used for this purpose.

The bench sought the stand of the Board and other concerned authorities on the issue.

It also asked the TDB to inform it as to whether such flex boards were put up in other temples, including 'edathavalams', under the management of the Board.