IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE P.R.RAMAN & THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE P.R.RAMACHANDRA MENON THURSDAY, THE 12TH NOVEMBER 2009 / 21ST KARTHIKA 1931 DBP.No. 54 of 2009() -------------------- (IN THE MATTER OF COCHIN DEVASWOM BOARD – BHANDARAM COUNTING IN THE TEMPLES UNDER THE BOARD – CDB – REPORT NO.143 OF 2009 SUBMITTED BY OMBUDSMAN – SUO MOTU PROCEEDINGS INITIATED. PARTIES: ----------- 1. THE SECRETARY, COCHIN DEVASWOM BOARD, THRISSUR. BY ADV. SRI.C.E.UNNIKRISHNAN SC FOR CDB 2. THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR, LOCAL FUND AUDIT COCHIN DEVASWOM BOARD AUDIT, THRISSUR. BY GOVERNMENT PLEADER SRI.R.LAKSHMI NARAYAN BY ADV. SRI.S.KRISHNAKUMAR MANGOT, AMICUS CURIAE FOR OMBUDSMAN. THIS DEVASWOM BOARD PETITION HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 12/11/2009, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY PASSED THE FOLLOWING: P.R.RAMAN & P.R.RAMACHANDRA MENON ------------------------------- D.B.P.No. 54 of 2009 ------------------------------- Dated this the 12th November, 2009 O R D E R Raman, J. This report is made by the Ombudsman suo motu taking into consideration of the complaint that at present, the Bhandaram counting in the Cochin Devaswom Board are not supervised by the Vigilance as was done earlier. In the circumstances, it is suggested that until the re-induction of the Vigilance wing, prior notice be issued to the Local Fund Audit, before opening the Bhandarams, at least in the major temples, as agreed to by them. 2. After hearing the parties, we direct the Cochin Devaswom Board to give notice, sufficiently early giving the time and date, before the Bhandarams in the major temples are opened to the Local Fund, so that one of the representatives of D.B.P.No.54/2009 2 the Local Fund Audit could be present at the time of opening the Bhandaram. 3. A copy of the order shall be issued to the Cochin Devaswom Board as also to the learned Government Pleader for conveying the information to the Local Fund Audit. D.B.P. is closed with the above observation. P.R.RAMAN, JUDGE P.R.RAMACHANDRA MENON, JUDGE. nj.