SC rejects Shree Padmanabha Swamy Temple Trust’s plea to exempt it from audit for last 25 years

The Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected an appeal of the Shree Padmanabhaswamy Temple Trust seeking exemption of its audit for 25 years as ordered by the apex court last year. The court said the audit order did not confine to the temple, but the trust as well, adding the process should be completed as early as possible, preferably within three months.

A bench headed by Justice UU Lalit said the audit should be completed as early as possible, preferably within three months. The Supreme Court said, “We have rejected the first prayer. It is clear that the audit was not intended to be confined to the temple only but also the trust. We refrain from entering issues pertaining to the second prayer. This direction has to be seen in the light of the reports of the amicus curiae in the case as recorded in the order dated 2015,” the bench also comprising Justices S Ravindra Bhat and Bela M Trivedi said. On the report submitted by the Administrative Committee of the Temple, which talks about the financial crisis the temple is facing, the court directed a special audit of the trust within 3 months. The Administrative Committee of the Shree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Kerala had on September 17 told the Supreme Court that it is in great financial stress and the offerings are not sufficient to meet the expenses while seeking an audit of the temple-related trust run by the Travancore royal family.