SUO MOTU Vs. TRAVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The Special Commissioner, Sabarimala, has filed this Report, pursuant to the directions contained in the order of this Court dtd. 16/12/2021 in SSCR No. 18 of 2021, regarding the shortage of employees at Sabarimala Sannidhanam, Pamba and Nilakkal. In the order dtd. 16/12/2021 in SSCR No. 18 of 2021, the 3rd respondent Devaswom Commissioner was directed to depute 20 additional staff from the Establishment Wing and also 200 additional Class-4 employees for special duty at Sabarimala, Pamba and Nilakkal. The Devaswom Commissioner was directed to issue orders within two days and to report the said fact before this Court. In the said order, it was made clear that, in case, any of the employees deputed for special duty at Sabarimala, Pamba and Nilakkal are reluctant to join duty, other than on genuine medical grounds, they shall be proceeded against by initiating disciplinary proceedings.

(2.) In this report filed by the Special Commissioner, it is pointed out that the turnout of employees posted for special duty in Sabarimala during the festival season is far less than that ordered by this Court for Class-4 and daily wage employees. As per the statement given by the Executive Officer, Sabarimala, dtd. 2/1/2022, 30 employees from the Establishment Wing, 76 employees in Class-4 category and 61 daily wage employees alone have so far reported for duty. A copy of the letter dtd. 2/1/2022 of the Executive Officer, Sabarimala, is enclosed along with this report.

(3.) As per the report of the Special Commissioner, in order to completely count the accumulated currency notes and coins in the Bhandaram of Sabarimala Temple, at least 100 Class-4 employees from 19 groups of Travancore Devaswom Board are required to be posted at Sabarimala. Out of the said 100 Class-4 employees, at least 80 employees are required to clear the counting of pending and accumulated currency notes and coins in the Bhandram. In this report, the Special Commissioner is seeking necessary direction to the Travancore Devaswom Board and also the Devaswom Commissioner to explain why sufficient number of Class-4 employees and daily wages employees are not posted for Sabarimala duty, in spite of the order of this Court in SSCR No. 18 of 2021, and a further direction to the Devaswom Commissioner to furnish the details of employees, if any, who are reluctant to proceed for special duty at Sabarimala and also the list of male employees, who have so far not done Sabarimala duty for the last 2 years.