The Kerala High Court dismissed a plea by the Akhila Kerala Thantri Samajam demanding that the appointment of priests in temples under the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) be made in accordance with religious texts and authorities.
The court also rejected the plea to declare that the second qualification prescribed in the notification for the post of part-time Santhi—certificates issued by accredited Thanthra Vidyalayas by the TDB or the Kerala Devaswom Recruitment Board (KDRB)—unconstitutional. It also 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 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 – October 22, 2025 09:27 pm IST
