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.