Thiruvilanjal Devi Temple Advisory Samithi vs Travancore Devaswom Board TDB

P.B.Suresh Kumar, J.

The Advisory Committee of Thiruvilanjal Devi Temple is the petitioner in the writ petition. They seek directions in the writ petition to respondents 1

to 4 to accord permission for conducting the ritual “Para Ezhunellippu†in connection with the ensuing festival of the temple scheduled on

18.01.2022. It is alleged that the representations preferred by the petitioner to the District Administration seeking permission to conduct the ritual are

not being entertained.

The learned Government Pleader, on instructions from the District Administration, submits that in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, the petitioner

cannot be permitted to conduct the ritual.

The learned Standing Counsel for the Travancore Devasom Board, however, points out that in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, the ritual was

permitted to be conducted symbolically during the last festival within the temple premises following the COVID-19 protocol.

Having regard to the facts and circumstances of the case, we feel that the ritual can be permitted to be conducted symbolically within the premises

of the temple during the current year also, as done during the previous year.

In the circumstances, we dispose of the writ petition directing the competent authority of the Travancore Devasom Board to prefer appropriate

application for the said purpose to the additional ninth respondent. If application is preferred by the Devasom Board, the said authority as also the

District Administration shall ensure that permission is granted for the purpose of performing the ritual symbolically within the premises of the temple,

observing the COVID protocol, as done in the previous year. The Government Pleader shall communicate the judgment to the concerned officials

today itself.