Kerala High Court Initiates Suo Motu Case On Collapse Of Temple Roof During Ceremony

The Kerala High Court recently initiated suo motu proceedings to look into the collapse of a portion of the concrete on the top of the Anakkottil in Valiyakalavoor Temple that fell down during the 'choroonu' ceremony injuring three people, including the mother of the baby. 

A Division Bench consisting of Justice Anil K. Narendran and Justice P. G. Ajithkumar initiated the suo motu proceeding on the basis of a news item in the Malayalam daily, Mathrubhumi, about three devotees from a family sustaining injuries at the Valiyakalavoor Temple, which is under the management of the Travancore Devaswom Board, when a portion of the roof of the temple collapsed. The Court pulled up on the Devaswom Board for its failure to perform its statutory duty.

The screenshot of the Anakkottil in Valiyakalavoor Temple, would make it explicitly clear that structure was remaining without proper repair, posing serious threat to the safety of the devotees. The respondent Board and its officials failed in their statutory duty in providing proper facilities to the devotees in Valiyakalavoor Temple for performing the traditional ceremonies.

The Standing Counsel for Travancore Devaswom Board submitted that the roof of the Anakkottil has already been removed, and the proposal made by the executive engineer for its repair and maintenance is pending sanction from the chief engineer. 

The Court observed that from the provisions of the Travancore-Cochin Hindu Religious Institutions Act, it is explicitly clear that the Devaswom Board and its officials are duty bound to establish and maintain proper facilities in the temple for the devotees. The Temple Advisory Committee is duty bound to render necessary assistance to the Devaswom Board. 

Further, the Court directed the Chief Engineer to check whether any other temple structure under the Devaswom Board poses threats to the safety of the devotees. Adding that if any structure poses safety threats in any temple under the Devaswom Board, the concerned officers in the Maramath wing should take necessary steps to ensure that the devotees are not permitted to enter the structure. 

The matter will be taken up for further consideration on 20.07.22. 

Case Title: Suo Motu v. State of Kerala & Others

Citation: 2022 LiveLaw (Ker) 357

Click Here To Read/Download The Order