Sree Padmanabhaswamy: Verdict to respect temple tradition, says Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has said that it will protect traditions and customs with regards to the security arrangements and preservations of the wealth of Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple in Kerala. The court will pass its order on September 21.

"We will ensure that the tradition is respected. We will maintain the tradition and the customs as far as possible. But where security measures will have to prevail, some concessions will have to be made", said a bench comprising Justice RV Raveendran and Justice AK Patnaik on Friday.

Justice Raveendran on behalf of the bench said, "tradition has to be respected. We are not here to break the traditions".

During the course of the hearing, the bench perused the report of the apex court expert committee and the affidavit of the Kerala government on the issue. It will also decide the issue of the opening of vault (kalara) B of the temple. The bench, however, clarified that it will take into account the customs and traditions while deciding the issue but not the superstitious beliefs.

"We will go by the tradition and the customs. That doesn't mean that superstitions and popular belief would come in the way," remarked Justice Raveendran speaking for the bench. There has been a proposal for limiting the entry points to the temple and for regulating the traffic on the periphery of the temple, the committee has said.

Senior cousel Dhruv Mehta on behalf of one of the petitioners, said the state government was high on promise and low on performance and has proposed 2.98 crore per year for the upkeep of the security o the temple.

Supreme Court, Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Kerala, Security Measures, Justice RV Raveendran, Justice AK Patnaik, Apex Court Expert Committee, Kerala Government