THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Senior advocate Aryama Sundaram will represent the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) in the Supreme Court hearing of the review petitions in the Sabarimala case. The board meeting held at its headquarters here on Friday also decided to stick to its previous stand of favouring the entry of women of all ages to the shrine. The board expects that its opinion will be sought by the court while considering the petitions.
“The board being a Constitutional body is duty-bound to obey the Supreme Court order. The board will state its opinion in the court only if circumstance warrants,” board president A Padmakumar said in a statement issued after the board meeting.
The meeting decided to inform the Supreme Court about the violence and protests at Sabarimala Sannidhanam, Pampa and Nilakkal during the Thula month poojas and Chithira Aattavishesham.
The board meeting assigned TDB commissioner N Vasu to conduct discussions with Aryama Sundaram. He will be assisted by standing counsels of the board K Sasikumar and S Rajmohan. Monitoring system in place
The board meeting also decided to seek legal advice from Kerala Devaswom Recruitment Board chairman M Rajagopalan Nair on the Sabarimala case. Rajagopalan Nair, a senior advocate, had served as TDB president during the previous LDF Government’s tenure. ‘Express’ had earlier reported that the CPM was planning an external monitoring of the board’s functioning.
This was after present president A Padmakumar’s comments invited criticism from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.Now on, all actions of the board in the case would be as per the directives of Rajagopalan Nair. He will also hold talks with board’s counsels in the apex court.