KOCHI: Kerala High Court on Monday appointed Justice T R Ramachandran Nair, former judge of the court, as the observer to oversee the proceedings for selection of melsanthis (chief priests) of Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha Temple and Malikappuram Temple, for 2025-2026. The division bench also requested him to be in Sabarimala at the time of the draw of lots.
For the selection of melsanthis of Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha Temple and Malikappuram Temple, applications have been called for and 119 applications (70 for Sabarimala and 49 for Malikappuram) came up for consideration. After Vigilance inquiry, 53 applications were recommended for interview at Sabarimala and 36 applications for Malikappuram, which are scheduled to be held on October 3 and 4 at the Travancore Devaswom Board Head Office, Thiruvananthapuram.
The court made it clear that the selection of melsanthis should be conducted in terms of the 2011 order of the Supreme Court and the guidelines issued by the High Court.
The court ordered that the entries in the mark sheet shall be made only by using a ‘ballpoint pen’. The mark sheets shall be countersigned by the observer and should be kept in safe custody of the commissioner of the Travancore Devaswom Board. The entire proceedings scheduled to be held on October 3 and 4, shall be video-graphed.
The entry of persons to the ‘Sopanam enclosure’ of Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha Temple, at the time of draw of lots, shall be in terms of the direction of the High Court issued in 2023. The court also requested the Observer to file a report after the culmination of the interview.
The TDB commissioner should produce the CD of the selection proceedings, mark lists and also the short list before the court, in a sealed cover, through the standing counsel for the TDB on or before October 13.