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Kerala High Court
P. Rangadasa Prabhu vs The Cochin Devaswom Board on 7 January, 2026
Author: V Raja Vijayaraghavan
Bench: V Raja Vijayaraghavan
2026:KER:429
WP(C) No.46638/2025 1
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM
PRESENT
THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE RAJA VIJAYARAGHAVAN V
&
THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE K. V. JAYAKUMAR
WEDNESDAY, THE 7TH DAY OF JANUARY 2026 / 17TH POUSHA, 1947
WP(C) NO. 46638 OF 2025
PETITIONER:
P. RANGADASA PRABHU, AGED 77 YEARS
S/O.LATE R. PADMANABHA PRABHU, SREE RANGA NIVAS,
T.D WEST ROAD, ERNAKULAM - COCHIN, PIN - 682035
BY ADVS.
SHRI.ATUL SOHAN
SMT.R.REJI (ATTINGAL)
SMT.SREEJA SOHAN K.
SHRI.K.V.SOHAN
RESPONDENTS:
1 THE COCHIN DEVASWOM BOARD
REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY, ROUND NORTH,
THRISSUR, PIN - 680001
2 THE ERNAKULAM THIRUMALA DEVASWOM
T.D. ROAD, ERNAKULAM,KOCHI, REPRESENTED BY ITS
MANAGING COMMITTEE, PIN - 682035
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WP(C) No.46638/2025 2
3 THE MANAGING COMMITTEE-ERNAKULAM THIRUMALA
DEVASWOM, T.D. ROAD, ERNAKULAM, KOCHI, REPRESENTED
BY ITS THE MANAGING ADHIKARIES, PIN - 682035
4 R SREEKUMAR KAMATH
MANAGING ADHIKARI, THE MANAGING COMMITTEE,
ERNAKULAM THIRUMALA DEVASWOM, T.D. ROAD,
ERNAKULAM, KOCHI -, PIN - 682035
5 NAVEEN R KAMATH
MANAGING ADHIKARI, THE MANAGING COMMITTEE,
ERNAKULAM THIRUMALA DEVASWOM, T.D. ROAD,
ERNAKULAM, KOCHI -, PIN - 682035
BY ADVS.
SRI.S.VINOD BHAT FOR R2 TO R5
SRI. K A SUDHEER, SC, CDB
KUM.ANAGHA LAKSHMY RAMAN
SMT.V.NAMITHA
SMT.GITANJALI SADAN PILLAI
THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING BEEN FINALLY HEARD ON
17.12.2025, THE COURT ON 07.01.2026 DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING:
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WP(C) No.46638/2025 3
JUDGMENT
K. V. Jayakumar
This Writ Petition is filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of
India seeking the following reliefs:
a. Issue a Writ of Mandamus or any other appropriate writ,
order; or direction commanding Respondent No.1 to immediately
consider the panel of names forwarded by Respondent No.3 and
appoint the Election Commission for the Ernakulam Thirumala
Devaswom forthwith.
b. Issue a Writ of Mandamus directing Respondent No.1 to
ensure that the Election Commission so appointed conducts the
election to the Managing Committee in accordance with Ext.P3
Scheme and Election Rules within a time frame to be fixed by
this Hon'ble Court.
c. Issue an order appointing a Receiver or an Advocate
Commissioner to take over the management and administration
of the Ernakulam Thirumala Devaswom from 19.12.2025 until a
newly elected Committee assumes charge;
d. Issue a direction to Respondent No.1 to take up and dispose
of Ext.P2 representations dated 27.11.2025 immediately.
2. The petitioner, P. Rangadasa Prabhu, states that he is the
hereditary member and registered voter of the Ernakulam Thirumala
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WP(C) No.46638/2025 4
Devaswom. The administration of the said Devaswom is governed by a
Scheme framed by the Cochin Devaswom Board under the provisions of the
Travancore Cochin Hindu Religious Institutions Act, 1950. Ext.P3 is the true
copy of the scheme.
3. The petitioner further states that, as per the provisions of Ext. P3
Scheme, the management of the temple is carried out by a committee elected
by the 'Yogam'. The present Managing Committee (3rd respondent) assumed
office on 19.12.2021, and its term of four years would expire on 18.12.2025.
4. Part VII of Ext.P3 Scheme governs the procedures to be
followed in the election. Clause No.46 of the Scheme mandates that the 1st
respondent/Cochin Devaswom Board, shall appoint an Election Commission
not later than the last day of Kumbham once in every four years. The last
day of Kumbham 1200 ME corresponds to March 14, 2025. The said Clause
further mandates that a preliminary list of voters shall be published not later
than the last day of Medam (May 2025).
5. According to the petitioner, despite the mandatory provisions in
the Scheme with respect to the appointment of the Election Commission and
the publication of the voters' list within a time frame, the 1st respondent, CDB
has failed to appoint an Election Commission. The petitioner states that the
3rd respondent, the present Managing Committee of Thirumala Devaswom,
has already forwarded a request and a panel of names to the Board for the
appointment of the Election Commission. The petitioner states that he has no
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WP(C) No.46638/2025 5
objection to the proposed persons in the panel forwarded by the 3rd
respondent.
6. The principal grievance highlighted by the learned counsel for
the petitioner, Sri.Atul Sohan, is that the 1st respondent has not initiated
necessary steps for the conduct of the election to the Managing Committee of
Thirumala Devaswom in spite of the mandatory provisions in Ext.P3
Scheme. The term of the present Managing Committee expired on
18.12.2025. The learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that inaction on
the part of the 1st respondent is a direct violation of Clause 46 of Ext.P3
Scheme. According to the learned counsel, an interference from this Court is
warranted to ensure free and fair elections to the Managing Committee of
Thirumala Devaswom. Therefore, the petitioner seeks the issuance of a writ
of mandamus commanding the 1st respondent to immediately consider the
panel of names forwarded by the 3rd respondent and to appoint the Election
Commission for the conduct of the election in Thirumala Devaswom.
7. When the matter was taken up on 15.12.2025, this Court passed
an interim order directing the CDB to take a decision with respect to the
appointment of the Election Commission. Accordingly, the Board as per
order dated 15.12.2025 has appointed Adv.D.G.Suresh, Saikripa, P.J. Antony
Road, Palarivattom, Ernakulam, as the Election Commissioner for the smooth
conduction of the election to the Managing Committee of Thirumala
Devaswom.
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WP(C) No.46638/2025 6
8. The learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that the
term of the present managing committee expired on 18.12.2025 and
therefore, some interim arrangement, such as appointment of a Receiver,
should be made for the administration of the Devaswom till a new committee
is elected in accordance with the Scheme.
9. Sri K. P. Sudheer, learned Standing Counsel for CDB, submitted
that the Board has already appointed an Election Commissioner and the
process of election will be completed within a short period.
10. Sri.S.Vinod Bhat, the learned counsel for respondents 2 to 5,
would submit that the present managing committee be directed to administer
the affairs till the new committee is elected.
11. We have carefully considered the submissions of the counsel for
the parties and perused the records.
12. Since the Board has already initiated steps and appointed
Sri.D. G. Suresh as the Election Commissioner, we are of the view that there
is no need to appoint a Receiver for the management of the affairs of the
temple. Instead, it would be just and proper to direct expeditious conduct of
the election to the managing committee of Thirumala Devaswom and to
permit the present managing committee, whose term expired on 18.12.2025,
to continue till the new committee is elected.
13. Having considered the submissions of the counsels, we deem it
appropriate to dispose of the Writ Petition with the following directions:
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WP(C) No.46638/2025 7
I. Adv.D. G. Suresh, Election Commissioner, shall hold the
election in accordance with the Scheme as expeditiously as
possible, within the outer limit of three months from the date of
receipt of a copy of this judgment.
II. The present Managing Committee shall continue to manage the
affairs of the temple in a fair and transparent manner till the new
committee assumes charge.
III. It is made clear that the present managing committee shall
maintain true and fair records of all the transactions connected
with the temple and shall submit audited accounts before the
CDB for the interregnum period, for which they are allowed to
function within one month from the handing over of the charge
to the new managing committee, without fail.
The Writ Petition is disposed of as above.
Sd/-
RAJA VIJAYARAGHAVAN V
JUDGE
Sd/-
K. V. JAYAKUMAR
JUDGE
Sbna/
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WP(C) No.46638/2025 8
APPENDIX OF WP(C) NO. 46638 OF 2025
PETITIONER EXHIBITS
Exhibit P1 TRUE COPY OF THE LETTER DATED 16.09.2025
Exhibit P1(a) TRUE COPY OF THE AI GENERATED ENGLISH
TRANSLATION OF EXHIBIT P1
Exhibit P2 TRUE COPY OF THE LETTER DATED 27.11.2025
Exhibit P2(a) TRUE COPY OF THE AI GENERATED ENGLISH
TRANSLATION OF EXHIBIT P2
Exhibit P3 TRUE COPY OF THE SCHEME FOR THE
MANAGEMENT OF THE ERNAKULAM THIRUMALA
DEVASWOM
