The Kerala High Court has taken serious note of reports that synthetic kumkum continues to be sold to Sabarimala devotees despite its clear prohibition, observing that such activity “cannot be permitted under any circumstances.”
A bench of Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and K V Jayakumar said the continued sale appeared to be an attempt to circumvent the court’s earlier directions. The judges noted that prima facie the main distributor supplying the material was a firm named Ideal Enterprises. The court has issued notices to the firm as well as Kerala Enviro Infrastructure Ltd, a laboratory alleged to have issued certificates to various vendors selling kumkum distributed by the firm.
Both entities have been directed to submit their responses before the next hearing scheduled on December 5.
The order came after the Erumeli Grama Panchayat informed the court that synthetic kumkum was being sold extensively in its jurisdiction and supplied by Ideal Enterprises. The panchayat also told the court that it had no means to verify whether the substance being circulated originated from natural ingredients or was chemically manufactured.
Reiterating its earlier stance, the court pointed to its November 7 and November 12 orders, which explicitly prohibited the manufacture, distribution, or sale of chemically produced or synthetic kumkum to devotees within the Sannidhanam area and adjoining panchayats.
Referring to the situation, the bench remarked:
“Under no circumstances can the same be permitted. Prima facie, it appears that the principal distributor is the firm known as ‘Ideal Enterprises’.”
The court has directed the firm and the lab to clarify their roles in the distribution and certification of the product. Their replies will be taken up on December 5, when the matter comes up for further hearing.
