The Hindu : New Delhi News : Guruvayur: apex court rejects Kerala appeal

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 05, 2006

New Delhi

New Delhi

Guruvayur: apex court rejects Kerala appeal

J. Venkatesan

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed an appeal filed by the Kerala Government challenging a Kerala High Court order directing the State to acquire land within a radius of 25 metres from the outer wall of the Guruvayur Sreekrishna Temple for future development.

A Bench rejected the special leave petition at the admission stage after hearing senior counsel L. Nageswar Rao for the State and senior counsel K. Radhakrishnan for C.V. Vijayan, Secretary, Guruvayur Devaswom Employees Association (petitioner before the High Court).

In 1994, the High Court had ordered acquisition of 100 metres of land around the temple. In 1998, the Guruvayur Devaswom Board decided to acquire the 100 metres of land in a phased manner beginning with 25 metres initially. A notification for such acquisition was issued on March 1, 1999. Subsequently by another notification on November 6, 1999, acquisition was restricted to only 10 metres around the temple. The Devaswom Board wrote to the Government insisting that 25 metres of land should be acquired and this request was rejected.

On a writ petition from Mr. Vijayan, the High Court in July 2003 quashed the notifications and directed the Government to acquire 25 metres of land for future development and security of the temple.

Thereafter the High Court in March 2006 dismissed the State's review petition. The State's special leave petition was directed against this order.

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