The Kerala High Court on Wednesday pulled up the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) over “serious inconsistencies” and omissions in the audit report of the Global Ayyappa Sangam held last year. The court directed the TDB to provide explanations and obtain inputs from the Kerala State Audit Department for appropriate action.
A Division Bench comprising Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and K V Jayakumar made the observations while perusing the audit report submitted in compliance with an earlier court directive. The matter was taken up through a suo motu plea initiated by the court based on the audit findings.
The bench noted that several items distributed during the event—such as ‘aravana’, appam, vibhuti, kumkum, and sandalwood—were not reflected in the books of accounts. These items, commonly offered to devotees, have considerable monetary value, and their omission raised concerns about financial transparency.
One of the key red flags identified in the report was the award of execution work to the Indian Institute of Infrastructure and Construction (IIIC) without following a tender or bidding process. The court noted that the work was assigned on an expenditure basis plus a 10% facilitating or administrative charge, a practice that deviates from standard procurement norms.
The audit further revealed inconsistencies in the computation of estimated bills of quantity. The court pointed out irregularities in areas including:
- Wooden frame centre tables
- Food serving charges in VIP areas
- “Cost plus” expenditure models
“These inconsistencies are not minor lapses but raise concerns about procedural compliance and financial accountability,” the bench remarked.
The court also observed problems regarding GST input credit management. While details were not elaborated in the order, the bench indicated that this too would require clarification from the authorities concerned.
Directing the TDB and Kerala State Audit Department to respond with detailed inputs, the court scheduled the matter for further hearing on February 27.
The audit report was submitted following the court’s dismissal of petitions that had challenged the organisation of the Global Ayyappa Sangam. However, in light of the financial disclosures now on record, the court has decided to scrutinise the event’s fiscal management more closely.
