IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE C.N.RAMACHANDRAN NAIR & THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE P.S.GOPINATHAN THURSDAY, THE 27TH MAY 2010 / 6TH JYAISHTA 1932 WP(C).No. 9161 of 2007(N) ------------------------- PETITIONERS: --------------- 1. VIJAYAKUMARAN,SON OF VELAUDHAN, VALIYAVEETTIL,KADAMPUZHA,MALAPURAM. 2. P.B.HARILAL,SON OF P.K.BHASKARA PANICKER AKSHARA,KADAMPUZHA P.O MALAPPURAM. 3. V.ANOOP,SON OF KUNJIRAMAN,EZHUTHACHAN, THAENGIL HOUSE,KADAMPUZHA P.O MALAPPURAM. 4. T.RADHAKRISHNAN,SON OF BALAKRISHNAN NAIR THEVAR PARAMBIL HOUSE,VAIDHYARETNAM ROAD,KOTTACKAL BY ADV. SRI.A.N.RAJAN BABU SRI.K.SUNITHA VINOD RESPONDENTS: --------------- 1. THE STATE OF KERALA REPRESENTED BY THE PRINCIPAL SECRETARY,DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 2. THE COMMISSIONER,HINDU RELIGIOUS CHARITABLE ENDOWMENTS (ADMINISTRATION),DEPARTMENT, KOZIKODE-20. 3. THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER,HINDU RELIGIOUS CHARITABLE ENDOWMENTS (ADMINISTRATION)DEPARTMENT, KOZHIKODE-20. 4. THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER,HINDU RELIGIOUS CHARITABLE ENDOWMENTS (ADMINISTRATION) DEPARTMENT TIRUR,MALAPPURAM DISTRICT. 5. THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER,SREE KADAMPUZHA DEVASWOM,KADAMPUZHA,MALAPPURAM. 6. M.V.SANKARAN WARRIER,HORIDITORY TRUSTEE, SREE KADAMPUZHA BHAGAVATHI DEVASWOM,MANAMANGALATH WARRIYAM,CHEMMUMOTHATTA,KURULAI P.O,MALAPPURAM. G.P. SRI.LAKSHMI NARAYANAN FOR R1 ADV. SRI.T.P.KELU NAMBIAR, SENIOR ADVOCATE FOR R5 SRI.M.GOPIKRISHNAN NAMBIAR FOR R5 SRI.P.G.RAJAGOPALAN FOR R5 SRI.K.MOHANAKANNAN,SC,MALABAR DEVASWOM FOR R2,3 & 4 THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING BEEN FINALLY HEARD ON 27/05/2010, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: APPENDIX PETITIONER'S EXHIBITS: P1: TRUE COPY OF ORDER NO.HRJ.6.2807/04 DT.9.12.2004 OF R2. P2: TRUE COPY OF ORDER NO.HRJ.6/1032/05 DT.2.5.2006 OF R3. P3: TRUE COPY OF JUDGMENT DT.16.12.2005 IN WPC NO.36685/2004(P) OF THIS HON'BLE COURT. P4: RUE COPY OF NOTICE NO.H2.1857/07 DT.27.12.2004 OF R5. P4(a): TRUE COPY OF MINUTES OF TRUST BOARD MEETING OF SREE KADAMPUZHA BHAGAVATHY DEVASWOM DT.3.1.2005. P5: TRUE COPY OF NOTICE NO.SA 26/2006 DT.6.3.2006 OF THE INSPECTOR (AUDIT) SOUTH DIVISION H.R.&E(A) DEPARTMENT, KOZHIKODE. P6: TRUE COPY OF LETTER NO.HRJ 6/10320/05 DT.28.3.2006 OF R4. P7: TRUE COPY OF ORDER NO.64026/DEV 1/06/RD DT.11.9.2006 OF R2. P8: TRUE COPY OF OBJECTION SUBMITTED BY 1ST PETITIONER AGAINST EXT.P7 DT.29.9.2006. P9: TRUE COPY OF JUDGMENT DT.21.11.2006 IN WPC NO.30766/2006. P10: TRUE COPY OF REPRESENTATION SUBMITTED BEFORE R4 DT.29.11.2006. P11: TRUE COPY OF REPRESENTATION DT.5.12.2006 BY THE PETITIONERS SUBMITTED TO R2. P12: TRUE COPY OF REPRESENTATION DT.6.12.2006 SUBMITTED BY 1ST PETITIONER TO R2. RESPONDENT'S EXHIBITS: R5(a): TRUE COPY OF ORDER G.O.(RT)NO.3967/2007/RD DT.24.9.2007. TRUE COPY PS TO JUDGE C.N.RAMACHANDRAN NAIR & P.S.GOPINATHAN, JJ. .................................................................... W.P.(C) No.9161 of 2007 .................................................................... Dated this the 27th day of May, 2010. JUDGMENT Ramachandran Nair, J. The petitioners are non-hereditary trustees appointed to the Kadampuzha Bhagavathy Temple. The prayer in the W.P.(C) is for direction to the Devaswom Board to convene meeting of the trustees including the petitioners. However, the selection of the petitioners as members of the Trustee Board was questioned by the hereditary trustee before the Government which is still pending before it. Government has through interim orders stayed the operation of the selection. The consequence as of now is that the temple is managed only by the hereditary trustee for want of any non-hereditary trustee. Even though the term of the first petitioner is over, the remaining selected persons have time till 2.5.2011. In the circumstances, we dispose of the Writ Petition directing the Government to dispose of the appeal or objection filed by the hereditary trustee in regard to the appointment of non- hereditary trustees within a period of one month from the date of 2 receipt of copy of this judgment. If Government cancels the appointment for any reason, then it is for the Devaswom Board to constitute new Trustee Board after selection of the non-hereditary trustees in accordance with the norms. C.N.RAMACHANDRAN NAIR Judge P.S.GOPINATHAN Judge pms