KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Tuesday held that there is no merit in the contention that the Travancore Devaswom Board’s (TDB) notification which stipulated that Malayali Brahmins should apply for the posts of melsanthis (chief priest) of Sabarimala and Malikappuram temples would amount to untouchability.
A division bench comprising Justice Anil K Narendran and Justice P G Ajith Kumar also upheld the decision that only Malayali Brahmins are entitled to apply for the post. The order was issued while dismissing a batch of petitions against the notification.
The petitioners contended that the appointment to the posts of melasanthi was a secular act. Therefore, the posts could not be reserved for one particular community, especially in an institution administered by the government-controlled TDB.