Kerala High Court
Sanoop M R vs Travancore Devaswom Board on 28 November, 2025
Author: N.Nagaresh
Bench: N.Nagaresh
2025:KER:91983
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM
PRESENT
THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE N.NAGARESH
FRIDAY, THE 28TH DAY OF NOVEMBER 2025 / 7TH AGRAHAYANA, 1947
WP(C) NO. 40019 OF 2025
PETITIONERS:
1 SANOOP M R
AGED 35 YEARS
S/O RAMAN MARAR,
NADAKKANKUNNU HOUSE,
CHIRAKKADAVU,
KOTTAYAM DISTRICT,
PIN - 686519
2 KRISHNAKUMAR K V
AGED 36 YEARS
S/O VENU K K,
KUNDETHILPARAMBIL HOUSE,
EROOR WEST P O, THRIPUNITHURA,
ERNAKULAM DISTRICT, PIN - 682306
3 SREEJITH GOPALAKRISHNAN
AGED 37 YEARS
S/O P R GOPALAKRISHNAN,
PEROOKAROTH HOUSE, KIDAGOOR P O,
PIRAYAR, KOTTAYAM DISTRICT, PIN - 686572
4 RATHEESHMON C R
AGED 38 YEARS
S/O C S RAMACHANDRAN NAIR,
CHANJUPLACKAL HOUSE, CHERUVALLI P O,
MANIMALA, KOTTAYAM DISTRICT, PIN - 686543
BY ADVS.
SRI.D.AJITHKUMAR
SMT.T.MANASY
2025:KER:91983
WP(C) No.40019 of 2025
2
RESPONDENTS:
1 TRAVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD
TRAVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD HEADQUARTERS,
NANTHANCODE, KAWDIAR POST, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM,
REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY, PIN - 695003
2 SECRETARY
TRAVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD TRAVANCORE DEVASWOM
BOARD HEADQUARTERS, NANTHANCODE, KAWDIAR POST,
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, PIN - 695003
3 DEVASWOM COMMISSIONER
TRAVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD,
TAVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD HEADQUARTERS,
DEVASWOM BUILDINGS, NANTHANCODE,
KAWDIAR POST, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM,
PIN - 695003
4 KERALA DEVASWOM RECRUITMENT BOARD
II FLOOR, DEVASWOM BUILDINGS,
OPP.AYURVEDA COLLEGE, M.G.ROAD,
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM,
REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY,
PIN - 695001
BY ADVS.
SRI.C.K.PAVITHRAN
SRI.V.V. NANDAGOPAL NAMBIAR
THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR
ADMISSION ON 28.11.2025, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY
DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING:
2025:KER:91983
WP(C) No.40019 of 2025
3
JUDGMENT
Dated this the 28th day of November, 2025 The petitioners were included in the rank list prepared by the Devaswom Board for appointment to the post of Panchavadyam-cum-Watcher in the year 2009. The petitioners were engaged as Panchavadyam-cum-Watcher on daily wage basis.
2. The petitioners are now aggrieved by Ext.P7 notification dated 30.09.2025 published by the Kerala Devaswom Recruitment Board. The grievances raised by the petitioners are twofold.
3. The petitioners state that for appointment to the post of Panchavadyam-cum-Watcher, only Certificate in Panchavadyam issued by the Kshethra Kala Peedam or any other institutions approved by the Devaswom Board is 2025:KER:91983 WP(C) No.40019 of 2025 4 necessary. In Ext.P7, a minimum qualification of pass in SSLC has been superimposed. This is against the Recruitment Rules.
4. Secondly, the petitioners would contend that in Ext.P7, the conditions for relaxation of age in respect of reserved communities (SC / ST / OBC) have not been clearly stated. The conditions in Ext.P7 are in conflict with the Rules prescribed under the Travancore Devaswom Board Officers and Service Rules, 2022. For these reasons, Ext.P7 is liable to be set aside.
5. Standing Counsel entered appearance on behalf of the Devaswom Recruitment Board and resisted the writ petition. The Standing Counsel submitted that as regards prescription of pass in SSLC as a condition of eligibility, the Devaswom Recruitment Board has noted the error and has already issued an erratum notification dated 15.11.2025.
2025:KER:91983 WP(C) No.40019 of 2025 5 Therefore, the petitioners can now submit applications for appointment even if they do not possess SSLC qualification.
6. I have heard the learned counsel for the petitioners and respective learned Standing Counsel appearing for the respondents.
7. As the Devaswom Recruitment Board has published an erratum notification on 15.11.2025, the grievance of the petitioners in that regard remains redressed. As far as the issue of age relaxation is concerned, the argument of the petitioners is that for recruitment to the post of Takil-cum-Watcher as notified in Ext.P8, certain age relaxation has been granted, whereas the said benefit has been denied to the petitioners as far as Ext.P7 notification is concerned.
8. It is seen that the issue was considered by this Court in W.P.(C) No.34254/2025. This Court held that the 2025:KER:91983 WP(C) No.40019 of 2025 6 Recruitment Board had granted relaxation for persons who were working on temporary basis upto the age of 50 years. This Court held that such relaxation granted is not one which is permitted by the Rules. When the employer Devaswom Board itself does not have a power of relaxation as per the Rules, the Recruitment Board cannot have any such power since they are only an agency for recruiting.
9. In view of the judgment dated 29.09.2025 in W.P.(C) No.34254/2025, the petitioners are not entitled to relief.
The writ petition is therefore disposed of recording the erratum notification dated 15.11.2025 issued by the Board.
Sd/-
N.NAGARESH JUDGE spk 2025:KER:91983 WP(C) No.40019 of 2025 7 APPENDIX OF WP(C) NO. 40019 OF 2025 PETITIONER EXHIBITS Exhibit P1 TRUE COPY OF THE PASS CERTIFICATE OF THE 1ST PETITIONER ISSUED BY THE KSHETRA KALA PEEDOM FOR THE EXAMINATION HELD IN AUGUST 2008 WITH THE OPTIONAL SUBJECT ‘PANCHAVADYAM' DATED 3.5.2010 Exhibit P2 TRUE COPY OF THE PASS CERTIFICATE OF THE 2ND PETITIONER ISSUED BY THE KSHETRA KALA PEEDOM FOR THE EXAMINATION HELD IN AUGUST 2008 WITH THE OPTIONAL SUBJECT ‘PANCHAVADYAM' DATED 3.5.2010 Exhibit P3 TRUE COPY OF THE PASS CERTIFICATE OF THE 3RD PETITIONER ISSUED BY THE KSHETRA KALA PEEDOM FOR THE EXAMINATION HELD IN AUGUST 2008 WITH THE OPTIONAL SUBJECT ‘PANCHAVADYAM' DATED 3.5.2010 Exhibit P4 TRUE COPY OF THE PASS CERTIFICATE OF THE 4TH PETITIONER ISSUED BY THE KSHETRA KALA PEEDOM FOR THE EXAMINATION HELD IN AUGUST 2008 WITH THE OPTIONAL SUBJECT ‘PANCHAVADYAM' DATED 3.5.2010 Exhibit P5 TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER IN I.A. NO. 1 OF 2019 IN WP(C) NO.27642 OF 2017 DATED 18.1.2019 OF THE HON'BLE HIGH COURT OF KERALA Exhibit P6 TRUE COPY OF THE TRAVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD OFFICERS' AND SERVANTS' SERVICE RULE, 2022 Exhibit P7 TRUE COPY OF THE NOTIFICATION NO.303/R1/2025/KDRB DATED 01.09.2025 ISSUED BY THE 4TH RESPONDENT 2025:KER:91983 WP(C) No.40019 of 2025 8 RECRUITMENT BOARD Exhibit P8 TRUE COPY OF THE NOTIFICATION NO.97/R1/2023/K.D.R.B. DATED 11.10.2023 FOR APPOINTMENT TO THE POST OF TAKIL CUM WATCHER ISSUED BY THE 4TH RESPONDENT RECRUITMENT BOARD Exhibit P9 TRUE COPY OF THE JUDGMENT OF THIS HON'BLE COURT IN W.P.(C) NO. 22783 OF 2024 DATED 5.11.2024 Exhibit P10 TRUE COPY OF THE RELEVANT PORTION OF DEVASWOM RECRUITMENT BOARD REGULATIONS 2016, APPENDIX 3B OF PART II OF GENERAL CONDITIONS OF THE NOTIFICATION