Kerala High Court Flags Potential Misuse Of Booking In Sabarimala Padi Pooja Using False Credentials; Orders Seizure, Production Of Records

The Kerala High Court on Wednesday (February 25) expressed its apprehension that the booking system for the Padi Pooja in Sabarimala temple may have been misused by persons using false credentials for selling their bookings at a profit.The Division Bench of Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V. and Justice K.V. Jayakumar then ordered the Chief Vigilance and Security Officer of the Travancore Devaswom Board to take possession of the registers and records relating to the bookings and to produce the same in a sealed cover.The Court was considering a suo motu petition initiated on the basis of a monthly report of the Sabarimala Special Commissioner regarding the activities undertaken during the Kumbham masa pooja.The report had outlined various issues, including lack of cleaning staff, accumulation of coins, violation of kuthaka agreements regarding supply of Pulpaya, non-removal of rice bags causing structural stabilities and the misuse of booking system for Padi Pooja.Padi Pooja refers to the rituals conducted five times a month relating to the 18 holy steps in the temple.Noting the Executive Officer's submission that bookings for the Padi Pooja till the year 2045 has already been completed, the Court expressed that there is a need to bring in a more regulated and transparent system.“The very fact that bookings extend nearly two decades into the future underscores both the demand for the ritual and the need for a transparent and strictly regulated system… The report further discloses that a Vigilance enquiry unearthed disturbing instances where certain individuals had secured bookings by furnishing false or fictitious addresses and were allegedly transferring such bookings to third parties for higher consideration. If true, such conduct is abhorrent and is to be deprecated. The learned Amicus Curiae submitted that, when the Vigilance Officer insisted on proper identity verification, two individuals who had made bookings failed to appear to solemnise the Padi Pooja. This circumstance lends credence to the apprehension that the booking system may have been misused,” it was observed.The Court further remarked that the issue is not merely an administrative issue but concerns the sanctity of temple rituals and credibility of the booking process. It then ordered the seizure and production of records:“we direct the Chief Vigilance and Security Officer (Superintendent of Police) to forthwith take possession and secure custody of all registers and connected records relating to Padi Pooja bookings, including the manner in which bookings up to the year 2045 have been effected. The said records shall be produced before this Court in a sealed cover to ensure their integrity and to facilitate proper judicial scrutiny.”The matter is posted again on March 4 (Wednesday).Case No: SSCR No. 8 of 2026Case Title: Suo Motu v. State of Kerala and Ors. Click to Read/Download Interim Order

Kerala High Court Flags Potential Misuse Of Booking In Sabarimala Padi Pooja Using False Credentials; Orders Seizure, Production Of Records

K. Salma Jennath

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