Supreme Court Directions in Padmanabha Swamy Temple Case [Read the Order]

Supreme Court bench comprising of Justice R.M. Lodha and Justice A.K. Patnaik issued directions against the alleged mismanagement of Kerala's famous Sree Padmanabha swamy temple. The directions are as follows;1. Mr. K.N. Satheesh, IAS, Director, Higher Secondary Education, Government of Kerala is, for the time being, appointed as the Executive Officer of the Temple until further orders.2. By way of interim measure, an Administrative Committee to discharge day-to-day functions relating to the Temple is constituted. The Administrative Committee shall comprise of:(i) District Judge, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, if he is Hindu and if he does not happen to be Hindu, then senior most Additional District Judge of that District. The District Judge or Additional District Judge, as the case may be, shall be the Chairman of the Administrative Committee.(ii) Tantri S/Shri Satish Namboodiri, Saji Namboodiri, Kuttan Namboodiri.(iii) Chief Nambi of the Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple.(iv) Two members to be co-opted by the District Judge, one of whom shall be co- opted in consultation with the Government of Kerala.5. The keys of all the kallaras except kallaras "E" and "F" shall be handed over to the Chairman of the Administrative Committee forthwith.6. The keys of the two Mudalpadi rooms (designated in the Report as Kallaras 'G' and 'H') shall also be handed over to the Chairman of the Administrative Committee forthwith.7. The Administrative Committee shall immediately address the following issues:(a) Protection of Kannikaipura and its surveillance by installing CCTV cameras and other related issues;(b) The collection of Kanikkai shall be accounted at least once a week, preferably every Saturday in the presence of the Chairman of the administrative Committee; (c) Cleaning of the passage above the Kallaras within the Sreekovil;(d) Cleaning of Temple tanks (Mitranandapuram and Padmateertham) in a time bound manner by a credible agency;(e) Improvement in living conditions of police personnels guarding the Temple;(f) Any other issue which may be brought to the knowledge of the Chairman, Administrative Committee by the learned Amicus Curiae or State Government or Trustee.8. A special audit of the Temple and its properties shall be conducted as early as may be possible, preferably by Shri Vinod Rai, former Comptroller and Auditor General of India. He will be at liberty to take services/assistance of any other person/persons in completion of this task.9. Until further orders, no property of the Temple shall be alienated or transferred or disposed of in any manner whatsoever.10. It is clarified that once the Administrative Committee takes over the charge of the affairs of the Temple, the Trustee shall not be liable for any decision/action taken by the Administrative Committee. However, insofar as the matters which are consulted by the Administrative Committee with the Trustee and to which he concurs, the Trustee shall not be absolved of his liability for such decision taken by the Administrative Committee and concurred with by the Trustee.11. The Trustee may be consulted by the Administrative Committee in respect of important matters, if necessary.Read full text of Amicus Curiae Report Regarding the Sree padmanabha swamy temple case here.

Supreme Court Directions in Padmanabha Swamy Temple Case [Read the Order]

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