Supreme Court decided to examine a plea challenging a Kerala High Court decision that temple priests must be appointed in accordance with religious texts. File
| Photo Credit: Sushil Kumar Verma
The Supreme Court on Monday (February 2, 2026) decided to examine a plea challenging a Kerala High Court decision that temple priests must be appointed in accordance with religious texts.
A Bench headed by Justice Vikram Nath issued notice to the State of Kerala, Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) and Kerala Devaswom Recruitment Board (KDRB).
The petition was filed by Akhila Kerala Thanthri Samajam and its office-bearer.
The High Court had rejected a plea to declare certificates issued by accredited Thanthra Vidyalayas by the TDB or the KDRB as unconstitutional.
It had found untenable the contention that individuals unconnected with spiritual functions were being considered for such posts.
The qualifications prescribed for the post of part-time santhi (temple priest) were formulated by the TDB after obtaining expert inputs from the KDRB, the court observed, and added that they had been approved by the government.
Published – February 02, 2026 04:26 pm IST
