On Monday Supreme court upheld the rights of Travancore Royal family in managing the affairs of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram.
A bench of justice UU Lalit and Indu Malhotra overruled Kerala High court order hold that the family will continue to exert it’s rights.
The commission will have only Hindus as it’s member.
The court also left it to the former Royal family of Travancore to decide the opening of a secret vault that has been shut since years.
The Royal family had argued that opening of the secret vault called “Kallara” in Malayalam will bring misfortune because of a mythical curse.
“Existing committee appointed by Supreme Court in 2011 will continue as an interim arrangement till final committee is constituted. Royal family will constitute the final committee. Opening of the “Kallara” will be decided by the final committee of royal family as per traditions,” the court ruled.
“The guarantee by the Government of India cannot be enforced as its sanction is not legal, but is only political and, hence, any violation of the terms of the covenants cannot be enforced… Section 18(2) and Section 20 Travancore-Cochin Hindu Religious Institutions Act, 1950, are void as being repugnant to Article 363-A of the Constitution of India and hence not enforceable,” the devotees had submitted.
