SECRETARY Vs. MATHEW

JUDGEMENT

(1.) These matters concern the properties of "Sri Ulachikkadu Sreekrishna Swami Temple", Mavelikkara [hereinafter referred to as 'Temple' for short]. Since the issues are common and since the reliefs to be granted in one will affect the reliefs to be granted in others, we deem it appropriate to dispose of all these matters together by this judgment.

(2.) The genesis of all these cases is from , which was filed by a person claiming to be the President of Temple Advisory Committee. His allegation was that there are encroachments into the property owned by the temple and he prays that such encroachments be directed to be removed by the competent Authorities under the relevant provisions of the Land Conservancy Act, 1957.

(3.) This prayer appears to have been made by the and connected cases petitioner in W.P.(C) No. 2250 of 2004 on the strength of Section 27 of the Travancore-Cochin Hindu Religious Institutions Act, 1950 [TCHRI Act for short], as per which immovable properties entered or classified as "Devaswom vaga" or "Devaswom Purambokke" and such other "pandaravaka lands", in the enjoyment of the Devaswoms mentioned in Schedule I of the Act, after the 30th Meenam, 1097 corresponding to the 12th April, 1992 will have to be dealt with as Devaswom properties, to which provisions of the Kerala Land Conservancy Act [KLC Act for short] would be automatically applicable.