Current affairs

SC upholds the rights of the royal family to run Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple!

By alagu, 13 July, 2020
India, Kerala, Supreme court

In a much-awaited verdict over the reign of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Trivandrum, Kerala, the Supreme Court has, on Monday, pronounced the judgment in which it has upheld the administrative rights of the royal Travancore family over the temple and its assets. 

The verdict has poured a relief to the royal family to take control of the onus of the temple, which is accredited as one of the richest places of worship in the world. By penning the verdict, the apex court bench comprised of Justices Uday Lalit and Indu Malhotra has repealed the judgment pronounced by the Kerala High Court in 2011. 

In 2011, the Kerala High Court has issued an order to the state government to take control of the temple in Trivandrum. The High Court directed the government to set up a trust to take control of the assets and management of one of the richest temples, which took to the spotlight after it revealed its wealth and mysterious vaults. 

In its verdict, the High court said that the rights of the family over the temple ceased with the death of the last ruler of Travancore, Sree Chithira Thirunal, in 1991. However, the royal family of Travancore, which managed the temple, moved its petition of appeal to the Supreme Court to challenge the verdict penned by the Kerala High Court. 

The apex court has delivered its verdict on Monday in which it overruled the judgment of the Kerala High Court. According to the reports, the apex court bench said that the death of the last ruler will not affect the rights of shebaitship of the family over the deity and they will survive as per custom. 

By upholding the administrative rights of the royal family over the temple, the Supreme Court has penned an interim measure and said that the interim expert committee, headed by the District Judge of Trivandrum, will continue to administer and manage the affairs of the temple until the royal family sets up the final committee to take over the administration.

However, the apex court hasn't spelled any orders on the opening of the mysterious Vault B in the temple. It was also expected that the court would direct to open the vault which the royal family claimed that the opening would cause a series disaster in the state as the vault has a mystical power. The temple gained a spotlight and shocked Tirupati temple over its wealth after it has exhumed more precious items. 

In 2011, the expert committee opened five of the six vaults in Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple and found out a huge treasure including gold, diamond, silver, and precious gems. When the attempts were made to open the six one- Vault B, the royal family has refused to open and warned that it would cause major disasters to the state.  

Amid the developments, the Supreme court has delivered the verdict of upholding the rights of the royal family. The apex court bench has concluded its hearings in April 2019 and it has delivered the verdict on Monday. Speaking about the verdict, Kerala Devaswom Board Minister Kadamkampally Surendran said that the government welcomes the verdict of the apex court in Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple case.

 

He further stated that its government duty to implement and comply with its verdict. According to the ANI, Adithya Varma, the member of the Travancore Royal family said that the family wholeheartedly welcomes the verdict. By citing that the family is happy about it, he further stated the verdict re-establishes the family's connection with Lord Sree Padmanabha. The family is perceiving this as a blessing by Lord Padmanabha to all his devotees.

 

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