THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple Trust has approached the Supreme Court to exclude it from the special audit ordered by the court while disposing of the petitions related to temple administration last year. According to the verdict, the special audit should cover the accounts of the temple and the trust for the past twenty-five years.
The temple administrative committee in last October had assigned a private firm for the auditing. The firm has now asked the trust to produce the accounts following which the current petition was filed in the SC. According to the trust, its accounts need not be covered under the special audit as it was not involved in the day-to-day activities of the temple and was an independent organisation.
The trust was formed by the last ruler of Travancore Sree Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma in 1965 for the conduct of the royal family’s offerings at the temple. These are personal offerings of the royal family members and do not form part of the mandatory rituals and rites of the temple. The ruler had transferred some personal land holdings and buildings to generate income to perform these functions, according to the trust. The trust’s petition will be heard by the bench chaired by Justice UU Lalit.
The amicus curiae in the case had earlier reported to the court that the accounts of the trust were not being audited properly. The trust manages several properties near the temple, five marriage halls and heritage buildings including the Kuthiramalika Palace Museum.
‘Auditing not proper’
The amicus curiae in the case had earlier reported to the court that the accounts of the trust were not being audited properly. The trust manages several properties near the temple