Kerala - Kochi   

Plea against `devaprasnam' admitted

Staff Reporter

High CourtRound-up

Kochi: A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Wednesday admitted a writ petition filed by Ravathi Nal P. Ramavarma Raja, Valiya Raja of Pandalam Palace and Pandalam Kottara Nirvahaka Sanghom seeking a direction to the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) not to implement the recommendations made at the `devaprasnam'.

The Bench comprising Chief Justice V.K. Bali and Justice M. Ramachandran, while admitting the writ petition, directed the respondents, including the TDB, the State Government and the chief tantri of the Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala to file a counter-affidavit.

The petition sought a direction to the TDB not to interfere with the rights of Pandalam Raja in the affairs of Sabarimala temple.

The petitioners further sought a direction for constituting a Temple Advisory Council consisting of the tantris and representatives of the Pandalam royal family for the Sabarimala temple.

He said the `devaprasanam' conducted by astrologer Parappanangadi Unnikrishna Panicker had recommended that Thiruvabharanam which was kept at the Pandalam palace be replaced.

The petitioners said that Thiruvabharanam could be replaced only under two circumstances; either when it is damaged or it has been lost.

Order to finish probe

Justice K.R. Udayabhanu directed the Director, Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau to complete within six months the investigation into the allegations of corruption levelled against P.J. Joseph, Minister for Public Works, in connection with the alleged misappropriation of funds of the Federation of Indian Floriculturists. The court also directed the Director to submit the inquiry report before the court..

Petition closed

The Government told a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice V.K. Bali and Justice M. Ramachandran that it was considering declaring the 100 acres of forest land in Kakkivani Malavaram in the Mannarkad Forest Division, shola vegetation and bamboo clusters in Sholayoor village in Attapady, 16 acres in Kalpetta and 60 acres in Mannarkad forest division as ecologically fragile land under the Kerala Forest Vesting and Management of Ecologically Fragile Land Act.

Appeal dismissed

The Bench rejected an appeal filed against a single judge's verdict dismissing a plea for CBI inquiry into the death of Swami Saswathikananda. Dismissing the appeal filed by the mother, brother and sister of Saswathikananda, the Bench said the Swami had died by drowning in Periyar was not only established from the statements made by the people who gathered near the bathing ghat but also from the post mortem report.

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