Flex boards praising State govt, Travancore Devaswom Board not permitted in temples, says Kerala High Court

Kerala High Court bans flex boards praising government officials in temples, emphasizing devotees come to see god, not politicians.

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday (December 10, 2024) said flex boards praising or congratulating the State government and the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) are not permitted in temples as devotees “go there to see god and not the faces of the Chief Minister, MLA or board members.”

The ruling by a Bench of Justices Anil K. Narendran and Muralee Krishna S. came during a hearing of a plea initiated by the High Court on its own based on a complaint against a flex board put up at the Thuravoor Mahakshetram (temple), near Cherthala, in Alappuzha district.

The Bench said the flex board, carrying photographs of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Devaswom Minister V.N. Vasavan, the TDB president and the MLA of the constituency, congratulated the LDF and the TDB for permitting 'annadanam' for Sabarimala pilgrims during the ongoing Mandalakala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season.

Expressing displeasure over the incident, the Bench said, “These kinds of activities cannot be permitted. Do not be under the impression that you (TDB) are the owner of the temples. The board is a trustee which manages the temples under it.”

“Devotees go to the temples to see god and not to see the faces of the CM, MLA or TDB members,” the court added.

It further said that the Thuravoor temple was an 'edathavalam' (halting point) for Sabarimala pilgrims during the pilgrimage season and it was the duty of the TDB to provide facilities for devotees there.

The court also said that setting up such flex boards was "not the job of the temple advisory committee" and the money received from devotees was not to be used for this purpose.