A. Radhakrishnan, Madapattu Murali, V.K. Babu and K.A. Sadanandan were restrained from taking charge in view of a vigilance inquiry pending against them. However, M. Venugopala Kurup was allowed to take charge as no vigilance inquiry was pending against him. The court issued notice to them as also to M. Venugopala Kurup, member-designate of the Guruvayur Devaswom. These persons were recently renominated to the managing committee of the Devaswom.

The division bench comprising Justice A.R. Lakshmanan and Justice S. Sankarasubban passed the order while admitting a writ petition filed by E.P. Gopalakrishnan, Water Works Road, Aluva, challenging the nomination of the five to the Guruvayur Devaswom and one Charupara Ravi to the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB).

According to the petitioner, these persons belonged to political parties andtherefore their nomination went against the directions of a larger bench of the High Court which had looked into the issue. Therefore, their nominations should be stayed, he contended. Moreover, a vigilance inquiry was pending against the four who were renominated to the GD managing committee, he stated.

The court observed that persons against whom vigilance inquiry was pending should not be allowed to function as members of the managing committee of Guruvayur Devaswom. Morover, the larger bench of the High Court had earlier passed an order stating that persons belonging to political parties should not be nominated as members of the managing committee. Those who had faith in God and temple worship alone were qualified to be nominated.

Gopalakrishnan submitted that in total transgression of the court directions, five persons had been nominated to the GD and one to the TDB A. Radhakrishnan belonged to the CPI(M), Madapattu Murali from the Kerala Congress (Joseph group), V.K. Babu (NCP), M. VenugopalaKurup (CPI) and K.A. Sadanandan and Charupara Ravi (both JD).

The four had resigned from the managing committee of GD in May this year. After resigning from their parties that the four were renominated to the managing committee.