Supreme Court has pronounced a verdict, in which it has upheld the power of the Travancore Royal family in the administration of Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple. The verdict has completely cancelled the HC verdict, which produced in 2011 January. The verdict was produced by a bench comprising of two judges, Justice Indu Malhotra and Justice UU Lalith, with both of them agreeing with the power of the Royal family on the temple administration. “Successor as per the tradition”, was the decision that the SC bench has taken, thereby upholding the power of the Travancore Royal Family. While approaching the SC, the Royal Family demanded that the family should continue as the trustee of the idol.
According to the verdict, pronounced by the SC, two committees would decide on matters regarding the temple, including an Advisory Committee. Thus, the committee will continue to decide matters of the temple. An interim committee, comprising of 5 members should be formed, with the district judge becoming the Chairman. As was pronounced by the SC bench, the Committee can decide on matters, including the decision on whether the B vault can be opened or not.
Earlier, the HC had considered the claims of the government, such as ‘Privy purse. However, with SC making the final verdict on this issue, it has asserted the claims made by the Royal Family. SC, while producing the verdict, considered the covenant powers and the powers after the covenant; how it would change the administration after the death of the highness in the year 1991. Amicus Curie said that more than 260 kg of gold from the temple. The SC verdict hasn’t made any explicit comment on this. However, as was mentioned in the verdict, the power given to the Committee, would decide on matters related to this.