The Kerala High Court has appointed an amicus curiae to assist the court in a writ petition for considering the application of an Ezhava priest to the post of melsanthi (chief priest) in Sabarimala.
The petition was filed by Vishnunarayanan, an Ezhava community member, who claimed that he was “fully qualified and eligible to be appointed as melsanthi of Sabarimala/ Malikappuram temples” of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB).
The court directed to issue notice to the State government, including Secretarys of the Department of Revenue and Devaswom, and the secretary and commissioner of the TDB.
According to the petitioner, the Devaswom commissioner had invited application for the appointment of melsanthi from persons belonging to Malayala Brahmins. The Supreme Court had earlier held that there shall not be any discrimination on the basis of caste or pedigree in appointing santhikaran/pujari in a temple in the Adithyan case, submitted the petitioner. Besides seeking to declare that the petitioner was eligible to apply and hold the post of melsanthi, the petitioner sought a directive to the board that all persons of Hindu religion and having the specified qualifications were entitled to be appointed as melsanthi in the Sabarimala and Malikappuram temples under the board.
Discrimination
The petitioner stated that the board was discriminating against the persons belong to other castes.
He submitted that he had communicated to the TDB the government decision to appoint santhis in all temples without considering their caste/community.