THONDALANKUNNATHU CHANDRAN, Vs. COMM , MALABAR DEVASWOM BOARD

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner claims to be a devotee of the Ozhur Vishnu Temple, which according to him, is a public temple under the control of the Malabar Devaswom Board (hereinafter referred to as 'the Board' for short) . He is impugning Ext.P5 order, issued by the Commissioner of the Devaswom Board, appointing Sri.K.Sethumadhava Menon-the 3rd respondent herein, as a fit person to be in management and control of the temple on behalf of the existing Hereditary Trustee, Sri.Kodiyeri Gopalakrishna Menon-the 2nd respondent herein.

(2.) According to the petitioner, there are several allegations against the 2nd respondent herein and, therefore, that the action of the Commissioner in appointing the 3rd respondent, who is the nephew of the 2nd respondent, as a fit person, to be in charge of the temple, is completely untenable and illegal in law. He asserts that Ext.P5 order will, for that reason, have to be set aside and that a proper fit person be directed to be identified by the Commissioner.

(3.) We have heard Sri.P.Chandrasekhar, the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner and Sri.R.Lakshminarayanan, learned Standing Counsel appearing for the 1st respondent the Commissioner, Malabar Devaswom Board.