Global Ayyappa Sangamam: Kerala High Court Deprecates Devaswom Board's Delay In Submitting Audited Accounts, Grants 1 Month Extension

The Kerala High Court on Thursday (January 8) deprecated the delay on the part of Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) in complying with court's direction to submit audited accounts of expenses of the Global Ayyappa Sangamam, which was conducted on September 20 in the premises of Sabarimala Shrine and at the banks of the River Pamba.The event was conducted after the Court had given its green signal vide an interim order dated September 9 passed in various pleas challenging the conduct of the event, claiming it to be a political and commercial one, veiled as one related to devotion, tourism and secular promotion. As per the TDB, the event was funded primarily through sponsorships and voluntary contributions.In the interim order, the Court had issued various directives in the larger interest of maintaining the sanctity of Sabarimala and the ecological balance of the holy River Pampa.One of the directions mentioned in paragraph 25(f) was to maintain clear, detailed and transparent accounts reflecting the total estimated cost of the event, including accommodation and travel expenses, together with the contributions received from sponsors. The Court had directed that the accounts be subjected to audit and to furnish a copy to the Special Commissioner within 45 days of the event for placing before the Court along with a report.Later, on October 17, the Court had dismissed all the pleas against the event, including a petition moved by one of the petitioners claiming that the Sangamam was funded by the Travancore Devaswom Board, in contravention of its affidavit claiming that event would be primarily through voluntary contributions. Subsequently, the present suo motu matter was initiated based on a letter sent by the TDB to the Special Commissioner seeking extension of time to comply with the aforementioned direction. The Court had closed the matter on November 11 after granting an extension of 45 days to the Board for compliance.Now, the TDB filed an interim application seeking further extension of one month's time to complying with the direction. It had stated that though the files relating to the event were handed over to the Chartered Accountant, the same were returned stated that the Indian Institute of Infrastructure and Construction (IIIC) has not submitted the complete bills pertaining to the programme and that, without the complete and revised bills, the audit and preparation of the Income and Expenditure Statement cannot be completed.The TDB also claimed that a direction was then sent to the IIIC and it had submitted all the bills, which have been forwarded to the Accountant but his verification report was pending. An additional one month's time was sought to file a comprehensive and foolproof Income and Expenditure statement to the Special CommissionerThe standing counsel for the TDB submitted that the report would be submitted before the Court within the said time. On hearing the same, the Division Bench comprising Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V. and Justice K.V. Jayakumar observed:"We deprecate the delay on the part of the Board in placing the audited accounts before the Special Commissioner. We are not satisfied with the explanation offered by the Board for such delay. However, in view of the submission made by the learned Standing Counsel that the accounts will be placed before the Special Commissioner within an outer limit of one month, we are of the view that one further opportunity can be granted in the interests of justice. In that view of the matter, the time granted for submitting the details as narrated in paragraph 25(f) of the interim order is extended by a further period of one month from today. It is made clear that no further extension shall be granted under any circumstances, and in the event of failure to file the reports within the extended period, appropriate action for violation of the directions of this Court shall be initiated against the concerned respondents."Case No: SSCR No. 33 of 2025Case Title: Suo Motu v. State of Kerala and Anr.Click to Read/Download OrderClick to Read/Download Order dated 07.11.2025

Global Ayyappa Sangamam: Kerala High Court Deprecates Devaswom Board's Delay In Submitting Audited Accounts, Grants 1 Month Extension

K. Salma Jennath

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