HC directive to TDB not to allow activities prohibited under Religious Institutions (Prevention of Misuse) Act in temples

Slamming the temple advisory committee of Kadakkal temple in Kollam for allowing a music troupe to sing revolutionary songs during the festival, a Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Thursday directed the Travancore Devaswom Board to ensure that no activities, including political activities prohibited, by the Religious Institutions Act are permitted in temples under its management. The Bench comprising Justice Anil K. Narendran and Justice Muralee Krishna S. also directed the TDB to take stringent action against the temple advisory committees which allow such incidents at its temples. Criminal cases The court also asked the devaswom board counsel whether there is any bar on a person facing criminal cases becoming a president of the temple advisory committees. The court also orally observed that when such incidents happen in temples, immediately criminal cases had to be registered under the provisions of the Religions Institutions Act.