Padmanabha Swamy Temple: After 6 Years, SC Says Hearing Cannot Go On Indefinitely

“There are hundreds of beautiful temples  and  it is not our job to administer them…no it cannot go on indefinitely you must understand” SC Bench

The supreme court today appointed one of its retired judge Justice K S Radhakrishnan as the head of a committee for selecting persons to carry out repair work  of Sreekovil (Sanctum Sanctorum) of the famous Padmanabha Swamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram.

Meanwhile, in a significant change of mood, the court which has been overseeing probing the gold pilferage  and the beautification, administration issues-  since six years suddenly seemed to be in a  mood to dispose of the matter in the near future saying “There are hundreds of beautiful temples  and  it is not our job to administer them…no it cannot go on indefinitely you must understand”

Amicus curiae Gopal Submrnium then told the bench of Chief Justice J S Khehar and D Y Chandrachud several key administrative issues were yet to be decided and the court was expected to pass orders regarding them. The bench then said that it will decide the same after settling the contentious issue of opening of  Kallara (vault)  ‘B’.

Ten months after a special audit report by Vinod Rai committee revealed that Gold worth Rs 186 crores has mysteriously gone missing from the temple, now Subramanium in a recent report said that eight diamonds are also missing from the famous temple.

 “The Amicus Curiae notes with some regret that eight diamonds which are a part of the Namam (tilakam) of the Lord have been reported as missing. The Amicus Curiae requested the original registers be produced before him. Upon inspection of the records, the Amicus Curiae was distressed to note that the expression ‘damaged’ (used euphemistically), is truly intended to convey ‘missing’. The valuation of the diamonds is one reflected in registers from at least 70-80 years ago. As a consequence of the same, the true value of any of these items is not reflected in the Mudalpadi’s register”, says the latest report submitted by the amicus curiae on June 14.

“It is also clear that the system of record-keeping in the Mudalpadi’s register (even though in Malayalam) needs to be altered. To this effect, it is necessary that the District Judge and the new Executive Officer may make suitable recommendations for a format which would correctly reflect the status and valuation of the ornaments which are being handled exclusively by the Nambis”, it said.

A special audit report by Rai panel on temple management stated that there was a loss of 263 kg gold on the name of purification and gold worth 186 crore in the form of 769 gold pots were not traceable.

The report said 30 per cent of the gold sent for melting and purification was lost.

Rai in his report has recommended to constitute a committee to oversee irregularities in the temple.

In 2015, the Supreme Court had asked Rai to do an audit of the temple and submit its report.

This directive came on the recommendations of amicus curiae and senior advocate Gopal Subramaniam, who had sought overhauling of the functioning of the temple.