All Hindus can be temple body members: Court

A court in Thrissur on Tuesday ruled that memberships in the Thiruvambady Devaswom Board, the administrative body of the Thiruvambady temple of Thrissur, could not be limited to upper caste Hindus and that people from all castes of the religion could be admitted to it.

As per the existing by-law of the Thiruvambady Devaswom Board, one of the two conductors of the famed Thrissur Pooram festival, upper caste Hindus from three Desams (areas) alone could be elected to it. The membership strength of the board, as per the by-law approved in 1967, is 1,300.

Thrissur’s Principal Munsiff Judge MN Raju issued the judgement on a petition filed by KV Sadanandan, president of the Visala Hindu Samastha Vedi. A similar petition is pending before the court with regard to the constitution of the Paramekkavu Devaswom Board of Thrissur, the other conductor of the Pooram festival, and a verdict in this is expected in two months.

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