Court orders to attach temple secy’s property

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A temple advisory committee secretary’s property has been attached by the Peermade Munsiff Court for not submitting festival accounts to the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB).
V V Shiju who was the secretary of the Valliyamkavu temple committee, Idukki, in 2019, is the person who faced action. Twelve other members of the committee have also been arraigned in the case.

The attachment order came on a petition by TDB secretary who alleged that the committee did not submit accounts for Rs 7.25 lakh which it accepted as festival donations from the public. The temple had the same advisory committee between 2011 and 2019. It is also accused of not submitting an account statement for the Rs 17.50 lakh it collected as festival donation in 2017.

The Local Fund Audit department’s report with adverse references on the 2017 committee is pending before the High Court, according to the board. “The committee violated norms in accepting donations and also in spending. It did not respond to the notice served by the board and hence a police case was filed. Later, after securing advice from the board’s legal cell, a court case was filed,” sources said.

The court order will have a bearing on advisory committees of several temples under the board which have not submitted accounts.TDB president N Vasu said the board has planned steps to rein in committees involved in corrupt practices. It will approach the High Court to amend the by-law on temple advisory committees Also, committee members who violate rules will be disqualified. 

The amendment will address lack of clarity in certain provisions. It will make the board’s prior sanction mandatory for committees to organise events. Also, provisions will be made to ensure that the funds mobilised by the committees are deposited in the designated account.