The Kerala High Court has directed the Travancore Devaswom Board to implement comprehensive audit recommendations across all temples under its jurisdiction to curb revenue loss and tighten administrative oversight.
A division bench comprising Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice K V Jayakumar ruled that the board must adopt the Audit Department’s proposals in a phased and time-bound framework. The court stated that executing these measures would reinforce financial discipline, ensure standardized application of ritual tariffs, and allow the board to hold accountable officers responsible through due process and natural justice.
Audit Uncovers Revenue Discrepancies
The directive originated from an audit review concerning the conduct of the Mrityunjaya Homam ritual at the Kandiyoor Devaswom. The Audit Department reported that conflicting general and special orders regarding ritual fees led to pricing ambiguities, causing revenue losses for the Devaswom Board.
To resolve these issues, the audit department recommended a systematic review and harmonization of all existing general and special pricing directives to eliminate discrepancies.
Measures to Boost Accountability and Transparency
The audit findings emphasized a multi-pronged strategy to safeguard temple funds, including automated revenue tracking, digitized accounting records, and regular reconciliation between ritual bookings and actual cash collections. The panel also called for strengthening the board’s internal audit mechanisms.
To improve public transparency, the report recommended displaying sanctioned ritual rates clearly within temple grounds and on digital portals, alongside establishing continuous operational improvement programs across all revenue-generating activities.
