IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE THOTTATHIL B.RADHAKRISHNAN & THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE C.T.RAVIKUMAR FRIDAY, THE 18TH NOVEMBER 2011 / 27TH KARTHIKA 1933 WP(C).No. 11372 of 2010(V) --------------------------------------- PETITIONER(S): ---------------------- K.KUNHIRAMAN,GENERAL SECRETARY, SRI.KOTTIYOOR PERUMAL SEVA SANGAM AND NON HEREDITARY TRUSTEE OF SRI.KOTTIYOOR DEVASWOM, RESIDING IN'SARAVANA',PUTHIYANGADI,CALICUT-5. BY SRI.A.P.CHANDRASEKHARAN, SENIOR ADVOCATE BY ADV. SMT.PRABHA R.MENON RESPONDENT(S): ------------------------- 1. THE COMMISSIONER,MALABAR DEVASWOM BOARD. 2. THITTAYIL BALAN NAIR,HEREDITARY TRUSTEE. P.O,MANTHANA. 3. KOLANGARATH SANKARAN NAIR,HEREDITARY TRUSTEE,P.O.KELEKAM,KANNUR DISTRICT. 4. KARIMBANAKKAL CHATHOTH VELAYUDHAN NAIR, HEREDITARY TRUSTEE,P.O.MANATHANA. 5. AAKKAL KARUNAKARAN NAIR,HEREDITARY TRUSTEE,P.O.MANATHANA. 6. THEKKEDATH MANAKKAL NARAYANAN NAMBOOTHIRI,NON-HEREDITARY TRUSTEE, P.O.CHALAKKUDI. 7. KAMBRATHIYOOTH PARAMESWARAN NAMBOOTHIRI NON-HEREDITARY TRUSTEE,P.O.MUZHAKKUNNU. 8. U.CHANDRI,NON-HEREDITARY TRUSTEE, TALUK OFFICE,THALASSERY. tss W.P.(C) NO.11372/2010 9. GOKULAM GOPALAN,NON-HEREDITARY TRUSTEE, GOKULAM COMPLEX,VADAKARA. R1 BY ADV. SRI.K.MOHANAKANNAN,SC,MALABAR DEVASWOM R2 BY SRI.P.K.SURESH KUMAR, SENIOR ADVOCATE R2 BY ADV.SMT.M.SINDHU THANKAM THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 18/11/2011, ALONG WITH WPC NO. 31211 OF 2010 THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: tss W.P.(C) NO.11372/2010 APPENDIX PETITIONER'S EXHIBITS P1:- COPY OF THE SCHEME OF MANAGEMENT STYLED AS THE THE SRI.TRICHERUMANA @ KOTTIYOOR DEVASWOM SCHEME 1964. P2:- COPY OF THE ORDER DTD. 26.10.2006. P3:- COPY OF THE WRITTEN NOTICE DTD. 25.9.2009. P4:- COPY OF THE NOTICE DTD. 5.10.2009. P5:- COPWRITTEN OBJECTIN DTD. 10.10.2009. P6:- COPY OF THE WRITTEN OBJECTIONS DTD. 7.10.2009. P7:- COPY OF THE REGISTERED NOTICE DTD. 9.10.2009. P8:- COPY OF THE COMMUNICATION DTD. 12.10.2009. P9:- COPY OF THE COMMUNICATION DTD. 15.10.2009. RESPONDENT'S EXHIBITS NIL:- TRUE COPY P.A. TO JUDGE tss THOTTATHIL B. RADHAKRISHNAN & C.T.RAVIKUMAR, JJ. ---------------------------------------- W.P.(C)Nos.11372 & 31211 of 2010 ---------------------------------------- Dated this the 18th day of November, 2011 JUDGMENT Thottathil B.Radhakrishnan, J. These writ petitions raised an issue relating to the identity of the venue for the meetings of the Board of Trustees. The Board is in control of seven temples under a trust. While it could be contended that each of those temples is a temple for the purpose of fixing the venue, the Commissioner, in exercise of statutory authority under the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, has directed meetings of the Board of Trustees to be held in Ekkarakottiyoor temple. While all the temples may have equal prominence in the heart of the devotees, the managerial wisdom has advised the Commissioner to choose Ekkarakottiyoor as the venue for the meetings, having regard to the various practical considerations. We do not find any legal infirmity or jurisdictional error in that action. In the result, W.P.(C)No.31211 of 2010 is dismissed and W.P.(C)No.11372 of 2010 is ordered directing that meetings shall be WP(C).No.11372/2010 & connection 2 held, in terms of the directions of the Commissioner, in the venue as fixed by the Commissioner. Sd/- THOTTATHIL B. RADHAKRISHNAN Judge Sd/- C.T.RAVIKUMAR Judge TKS/18.11