Supreme Court sets aside Kerala HC order allowing government takeover of Padmanabhaswamy Temple

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The Supreme Court of India (SC) on July 13 ruled against the takeover of Thiruvananthapuram's historic Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple by the government.

In its verdict, the apex court overturned Kerala High Court’s 2011 judgement that had directed the state government to take steps to set up a body or trust to take control of the temple, its assets and management and to run the temple in accordance with the traditions.

The apex court upheld the right of the Travancore Royal family in the administration of the temple.

The controversy over the administration and management of the historic temple has been pending in the apex court for the last nine years in the wake of charges of alleged financial irregularities.

The sprawling temple, an architectural splendour in granite, was rebuilt in its present form in the 18th century by the Travancore Royal House which had ruled southern Kerala and some adjoining parts of Tamil Nadu before integration of the princely state with the Indian Union in 1947.

Even after India's independence, the temple continued to be governed by a trust controlled by the erstwhile royal family for whom Lord Padmanabha (Vishnu) is their family deity.

A bench of Justices UU Lalit and Indu Malhotra had on April 10 2019 reserved its judgement on the pleas challenging the January 31, 2011 verdict of the Kerala High Court in the matter.