Gold panels shifted without approval

POLICING ONLY | Govt claimed its role was restricted to crowd control

- HD Bureau

The Kerala High Court has pressed the government and the Travancore Devaswom Board to clarify their roles and the funding structure of the Global Ayyappa Sangamam, raising serious concerns over transparency.

The bench, comprising Justices Devan Ramachandran and Syam Kumar V. M., directed the Devaswom Board to submit full details of the event's schedule, structure and sponsorship arrangements by the next hearing. Both the state and the Board were instructed to strictly adhere to the legal framework under the Travancore-Cochin Hindu Religious Institutions Act, 1950, and to manage the Pamba riverside location with utmost sanctity.

The court also acknowledged that the government has confined its role to crowd management only.