The Kerala High Court has directed the Travancore Devaswom Board to shift to a digitised accounting system to modernise the board’s accounting practices and ensure financial discipline.
A Division Bench of Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V. and Justice K.V. Jayakumar issued the directive while considering a report of the State audit department regarding alleged objections to paying pension benefits to an employee who had retired in 2017 as Deputy Devaswom Commissioner.
The court was informed that audit objections had been raised, citing a liability of over ₹7 lakh, as many vouchers relating to his accounts were reportedly missing.
Following this, the court summoned the officers concerned to present an action plan outlining the steps to implement modern accounting and auditing practices, including software systems and digital maintenance of records.
A perusal of broader issues regarding the TDB’s financial administration showed that the audit report pertaining to the accounts of 150 temples, schools, and other institutions under the board was incomplete even now.
Expressing concern over the continuing reliance on archaic manual registers and paper vouchers, the court said these enabled potential falsification and misappropriation of funds.
The failure to conduct timely audits reflected gross administrative indifference. Such neglect had rendered the board a passive enabler and an active participant in financial indiscipline.
The divine assets of temples cannot be left vulnerable to outdated ledgers and missing records, the court added and directed the Director of the Audit department to appear before it on October 30.
Published – October 19, 2025 07:37 pm IST
