Suo Motu v. Tdb, Rep. By Its Secretary

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM

PRESENT:

THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE THOTTATHIL B.RADHAKRISHNAN & THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE SUNIL THOMAS MONDAY, THE 6TH DAY OF JULY 2015/15TH ASHADHA, 1937 DBP.No. 60 of 2015 () ---------------------- (IN THE MATTER OF DEVASWOM - 28TH PERIODICAL REPORT FOR THE PERIOD FROM 01.03.2015 TO 31.05.2015 BY OMBUDSMAN - SUO MOTU PROCEEDINGS INITIATED - REG.) PETITIONER(S):

-------------------------- SUO MOTU BY ADV. .

RESPONDENT(S):

---------------------------- 1.

TRAVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD, REP. BY ITS SECRETARY.

2.

COCHIN DEVASWOM BOARD, REP. BY ITS SECRETARY.

3.

STATE OF KERALA, REP. BY ITS CHIEF SECRETARY.

4.

DEPUTY DIRECTOR, LOCAL FUND AUDIT, TRAVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD.

5.

DEPUTY DIRECTOR, LOCAL FUND AUDIT, COCHIN DEVASWOM BOARD.

R1 BY ADV. SRI.M.V.S.NAMBOOTHIRI, SC, TRAVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD R2 BY ADV. SRI.KRISHNA MENON, SC, COCHIN DEVASWOM BOARD R3-R5 BY ADV.A.RANJITH, GOVERNMENT PLEADER ADV.P.RAMACHANDRAN, AMICUS CURIAE FOR THE OMBUDSMAN. THIS DEVASWOM BOARD PETITION HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 06-07-2015, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY PASSED THE FOLLOWING:

THOTTATHIL B.RADHAKRISHNAN & SUNIL THOMAS, JJ.

.................................................................... DBP No.60 of 2015 .................................................................... Dated this the 6th day of July, 2015.

O R D E R

Thottathil B.Radhakrishnan, J.

1.Read twenty eighth periodical report of the learned Ombudsman. 2.The following directions are issued:- (i) The Travancore Devaswom Board shall depute sufficient staff for collecting proper replies to enable more streamlined and quicker audit, so that audit reports can be submitted, at the earliest.

(ii) Secretary, TDB, Devaswom Commissioner, Special Tahsildar and Chief Vigilance Officer of TDB shall take immediate steps for giving replies to the complaints pending before the learned Ombudsman.

If there is any deficit of supporting staff, appropriate augmentation shall be done in that regard.

DBP60/15 -2- (iii) The Devaswom Commissioner, TDB is directed to ensure that the matters stated in the learned Ombudsman's report in relation to the Sathrams maintained by Cochin Devaswom Board and TDB are looked into, and the Project Officer appointed is directed to report to the learned Ombudsman, without fail, on or before 16.09.2015 regarding the issue of improvements of the TDB buildings. That report shall also state about the payments and arrears, if any, of rent and other attendant matters. The Board authorities will, thereafter, follow such instructions, as may be given by the learned Ombudsman and those decisions will be effectuated and action taken report shall, ultimately, be filed, without delay. The learned Ombudsman will consider such final report and place his views, ultimately, before this Court. (iv) Regarding the issue of recruitment, it is now shown that the Kerala Devaswom Recruitment Board Ordinance, 2015 is in

DBP60/15 -3force and the Kerala Devaswom Recruitment Board Rules, 2015 have been made and issued by the Government through GO(P) No.216/2015/RD (SRO No.352/2015). The recruitment process is stated to be taken by calling for reports from the Devaswom Boards. Vacancies to the various posts in the TDB and CDB services shall be filled up on war footing, so that the interest of temples and institutions can be protected, appropriately. This DBP is ordered accordingly.

(THOTTATHIL B.RADHAKRISHNAN, JUDGE) (SUNIL THOMAS, JUDGE) jg