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Kerala High Court

Sreekumar V.D vs Union Of India on 29 July, 2025

                                                        ​2025:KER:56156​
                                    ​1​
​WP(C) No. 44611 of 2024​



                  IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM​
                  ​
                                   PRESENT​
                                   ​
           THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE RAJA VIJAYARAGHAVAN V​
           ​
                                          &​
                                          ​
                 THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE K. V. JAYAKUMAR​
                 ​


                     TH​
                     ​
      TUESDAY, THE 29​
      ​                  DAY OF JULY 2025 / 7TH SRAVANA,​​
                         ​                               1947​


                            WP(C) NO. 44611 OF 2024​
                            ​


PETITIONER:​
​

                  ​REEKUMAR V.D​
                  S
                  AGED 51 YEARS​
                  ​
                  S/O DAMODARAN, TC 64/21572, NARASIMHAPURAM,​
                  ​
                  THIRUVALLAM P.O., THIRUVALLAM, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM,​
                  ​
                  PIN - 695027​
                  ​


                  BY ADV SRI.P.P.BIJU​
                  ​

RESPONDENTS:​

​ 1​ ​ ​NION OF INDIA​ U REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF CULTURE,​ ​ NATIONAL MONUMENT AUTHORITY, THILAK MARG, NEW DELHI,​ ​ PIN - 110001​ ​ 2​ ​ ​TATE OF KERALA​ S REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY, ARCHEOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT,​ ​ GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM,​ ​ PIN - 695001​ ​ 3​ ​ ​ATIONAL MONUMENT AUTHORITY​ N REPRESENTED BY ITS CHAIRPERSON, MINISTRY OF CULTURE,​ ​ NATIONAL MONUMENT AUTHORITY, THILAK MARG,​ ​ NEW DELHI, PIN - 110001​ ​ ​2025:KER:56156​ ​2​ ​WP(C) No. 44611 of 2024​ 4​ ​ ​HE DIRECTOR GENERAL​ T ARCHEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA, JANPATH,​ ​ NEW DELHI, PIN - 110011​ ​ 5​ ​ ​HE DIRECTOR​ T DEPARTMENT OF ARCHEOLOGY, SREEPADAM PALACE,​ ​ FORT P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPUARAM, PIN - 695023​ ​ 6​ ​ ​HE SUPERINTENDING ARCHEOLOGIST​ T ASI, THRISSUR CIRCLE, FF19(1)KSHB FLAT, BLOCK-III,​ ​ PULLAZHY P.O., THRISSUR, PIN - 680012​ ​ 7​ ​ ​RAVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD​ T REP BY SECRETARY, DEVASWOM BOAD OFFICE, NANDANCODE,​ ​ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, PIN - 695003​ ​ 8​ ​ ​HE DEVASWOM COMMISSIONER​ T TRANVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD, DEVASWOM BUILDING,​ ​ NANDANCODE, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, PIN - 695011​ ​ 9​ ​ ​EPUTY DEWASWOM COMMISSIONER (ADMINISTRATION),​ D TRANVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD, DEVASWOM BUILDING,​ ​ NANDANCODE, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, PIN - 695011​ ​ 10​ ​ ​HE CHIEF ENGINEER​ T TRAVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD, DEVASWOM BOARD HEAD​ ​ QUARTERS, DEVASWOM BUILDING, NANDANCODE,​ ​ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, PIN - 695011​ ​ 11​ ​ ​HE ADMINISTRATION OFFICER​ T SREE PARASU RAMA SWAMI TEMPLE, THIRUVALLAM DEVASWOM,​ ​ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM GROUP, THIRUVALLAM P.O.,​ ​ THIRUVALLAM, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, PIN - 695027​ ​ 12​ ​ ​HIRUVANANTHAPURAM CORPORATION​ T REPRESENTED BY SECRETARY, OFFICE OF THIRUVANANTHAPURAM​ ​ MUNCIPAL CORPORATION, VIKAS BHAVAN P.O.,​ ​ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, PIN - 695033​ ​ 13​ ​ ​REE PARASURAMA KSHETHRA VIKASANA SAMITHI​ S REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY, THIRUVALLAM P.O.,​ ​ ​2025:KER:56156​ ​3​ ​WP(C) No. 44611 of 2024​ THIRUVALLAM, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, PIN - 695027​ ​ ​Y ADVS.​ B SHRI.G.BIJU,SC,TRAVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD​ ​ SHRI.SUMAN CHAKRAVARTHY, SC, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM​ ​ CORPORATION​ ​ SRI.G.SUDHEER​ ​ SRI.R.HARIKRISHNAN (H-308), DSGI​ ​ ​HIS​ ​ T WRIT​ ​ PETITION​ ​ (CIVIL)​ ​ HAVING​ ​ COME​ ​ UP​​FOR​​ FINAL​​ HEARING​ ON​ ​ ​ 29.07.2025,​ ​THE​ ​COURT​ ​ ON​ ​ THE​ ​SAME​ ​ DAY​ ​ DELIVERED​ ​ THE​ FOLLOWING:​ ​ ​2025:KER:56156​ ​4​ ​WP(C) No. 44611 of 2024​ ​J U D G M E N T​ ​Raja Vijayaraghavan V, J.​ ​This Writ Petition is filed seeking the following reliefs:​ ​(i)​ ​Issue​ ​a​ ​writ​ ​of​ ​mandamus​ ​or​ ​such​ ​other​ ​writ​ ​or​ ​direction​ ​directing​​the​​repondent​​No's​​1​​to​​6​​to​​take​​immediate​​action​​to​ ​stop​​the​​construction​​carrying​​out​​by​​the​​respondents​​No's​​7​​to​ ​11 forthwith.​ ​(ii)​ ​Issue​ ​a​ ​writ​ ​of​ ​mandamus​ ​or​ ​such​ ​other​ ​writ​ ​or​ ​direction​ ​directing​​the​​Respondents​​No's​​1​​to​​6​​to​​ensure​​no​​construction​ ​shall​​be​​carry​​out​​within​​100​​meters​​away​​from​​the​​Thiruvallam​ ​Sree​ ​Parasu​ ​Rama​ ​Swami​ ​Temple,​ ​Thiruvallam,​ ​Thiruvananthapuram District.​ ​iii)​ ​Issue​ ​a​ ​writ​ ​of​ ​mandamus​ ​or​ ​such​ ​other​ ​writ​ ​or​ ​direction​ ​directing​ ​the​ ​Respondents​ ​7​ ​to​ ​12​ ​shall​ ​not​ ​carry​ ​out​ ​any​ ​construction​ ​without​ ​permission​ ​from​ ​the​ ​3rd​ ​respondent​ ​and​ ​violating​ ​the​ ​provisions​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Ancient​ ​Monuments​ ​and​ ​Archeological Sites and Remain Act, 1958.​ ​iv)​ ​Call​ ​for​ ​the​​records​​pursuant​​to​​Exhibit-P8​​and​​quash​​the​​same​ ​by issuing writ of certiorari.​ ​2.​ ​A​ ​counter​​affidavit​​has​​been​​filed​​by​​the​​7th​​respondent,​​wherein,​​after​ ​detailing the facts and circumstances, it has been stated as under in paragraph No. 6:​ ​6.​ ​It​ ​is​ ​submitted​​that​​Thiruvallam​​Sree​​Parasurama​​Temple​ ​is​ ​a​ ​protected​ ​monument​ ​under​ ​the​ ​conservation​ ​and​​management​ ​2025:KER:56156​ ​5​ ​WP(C) No. 44611 of 2024​ ​of​​the​​Archeological​​Survey​​of​​India.​​Considering​​the​​difficulties​​faced​ ​by​ ​the​ ​devotees,​ ​the​ ​Board​ ​decided​ ​to​ ​construct​​a​​semi-permanent​ ​pandal​​inside​​the​​temple​​facing​​the​​bali​​mandapams,​​after​​obtaining​ ​permission​​from​​the​​Archeological​​Survey​​of​​India​​authorities,​​so​​that​ ​the​ ​devotees​ ​can​ ​do​ ​the​ ​rituals​ ​during​ ​sunny​ ​and​ ​rainy​ ​seasons.​ ​Several​ ​petitions​ ​were​ ​submitted​ ​by​ ​Board​ ​seeking​ ​permission​ ​to​ ​provide​ ​basic​​minimum​​facilities​​to​​the​​devotees.​​In​​response​​to​​the​ ​letter​ ​No.​ ​228/24/CA/AMASR​ ​dated​ ​24/12/2024​ ​of​ ​the​ ​competent​ ​Authority​​issued​​to​​the​​Administrative​​Officer,​​Thiruvallam,​​the​​Board​ ​submitted​ ​an​ ​application​ ​No.​ ​39/2025​ ​dated​ ​5/5/2025​ ​in​ ​the​ ​prescribed​ ​form​ ​(Form​ ​No.​ ​I).​ ​True​ ​copy​ ​of​ ​the​ ​covering​ ​letter​ ​No.39/2025​ ​dated​ ​5.5.2025​ ​issued​ ​by​ ​the​ ​Administrative​ ​Officer,​ ​Thiruvallam​ ​Devaswom,​ ​Travancore​ ​Devaswom​ ​Board​ ​to​ ​the​ ​Competent​ ​Authority,​ ​Sreepadam​ ​Kottaram​ ​along​ ​with​ ​the​ ​Form​ ​1​ ​Application​ ​is​ ​produced​ ​herewith​ ​and​ ​marked​ ​as​ ​Exhibit​ ​R7(a)​​.​ ​But​ ​no​​sanction​​is​​granted​​so​​far.​​In​​the​​absence​​of​​sanction,​​the​​Board​​is​ ​not​ ​in​ ​a​ ​position​ ​to​ ​carry​ ​out​ ​any​ ​developmental​ ​activities​ ​in​ ​the​ ​temple.​ ​3.​ ​In​​the​​counter​​affidavit,​​it​​is​​stated​​that​​although​​the​​Board​​has​​taken​ ​a​​decision​​to​​construct​​a​​semi-permanent​​pandal​​within​​the​​temple​​premises,​​facing​ ​the​ ​bali​ ​mandapams,​ ​such​ ​construction​ ​shall​ ​be​ ​undertaken​ ​only​ ​after​ ​obtaining​ ​prior​ ​permission​ ​from​ ​the​ ​competent​ ​authorities​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Archaeological​ ​Survey​ ​of​ ​India.​ ​4.​ ​It​ ​is​ ​an​ ​undisputed​ ​fact​ ​that​ ​no​ ​construction​ ​has​ ​commenced​ ​as​ ​of​ ​now.​ ​The​ ​apprehension​ ​expressed​ ​by​ ​the​ ​petitioner​ ​that​ ​the​ ​construction​ ​may​ ​2025:KER:56156​ ​6​ ​WP(C) No. 44611 of 2024​ ​proceed​ ​without​ ​obtaining​ ​the​ ​requisite​ ​permission​ ​from​ ​the​ ​Archaeological​​Survey​ ​of​ ​India​ ​appears​ ​to​ ​be​ ​misconceived​ ​and​ ​unfounded,​ ​in​ ​light​ ​of​ ​the​ ​categorical​ ​assertion​ ​in​ ​the​ ​counter​ ​affidavit​ ​that​ ​no​ ​construction​ ​shall​ ​be​ ​carried​ ​out​ ​without​ ​first obtaining such permission.​ ​5.​ ​In​ ​view​ ​of​ ​the​ ​factual​ ​matrix​ ​noted​ ​above​ ​and​ ​the​ ​unequivocal​ ​undertaking​ ​given​ ​by​ ​the​ ​7th​ ​respondent,​ ​the​ ​learned​ ​counsel​ ​for​ ​the​ ​petitioner​ ​fairly​ ​submitted​ ​that​ ​the​ ​Writ​ ​Petition​ ​may​ ​be​ ​closed,​ ​recording​ ​the​ ​undertaking​ ​contained in the counter affidavit.​ ​This Writ Petition is closed.​ ​Sd/-​ ​RAJA VIJAYARAGHAVAN​​V,​ ​JUDGE​ ​ d/-​ S ​K.V. JAYAKUMAR,​ ​JUDGE​ ​APM​ ​2025:KER:56156​ ​7​ ​WP(C) No. 44611 of 2024​ APPENDIX OF WP(C) 44611/2024​ ​ PETITIONER EXHIBITS​ ​ Exhibit P1​ ​ ​RUE​ ​ T COPY​​OF​​ THE​​LETTER​​ NO.ROC​​ NO.3300/24/M​ DATED​ ​ ​ 12.03.2024​ ​ ISSUED​ ​ BY​ ​ THE​ ​ 7TH​ RESPONDENT TO THE 10 RESPONDENT​ ​ Exhibit P2​ ​ TRUE​ ​ ​ COPY​​OF​​ THE​​LETTER​​ NO.ROC​​ NO.3285/24/M​ DATED​ ​ ​ 12.03.2024​ ​ ISSUED​ ​ BY​ ​ THE​ ​ 7TH​ RESPONDENT​ ​ Exhibit P3​ ​ TRUE​ ​ ​ COPY​​OF​​ THE​​LETTER​​ NO.ROC​​ NO.5804/24/M​ DATED​ ​ ​ 24.05.2024​ ​ ISSUED​ ​ BY​ ​ THE​ ​ 7TH​ RESPONDENT TO THE 10 RESPONDENT​ ​ Exhibit P4​ ​ TRUE​ ​ ​ COPY​​OF​​ THE​​LETTER​​ NO.ROC​​ NO.6955/24/M​ DATED​ ​ ​ 28.05.2024​ ​ ISSUED​ ​ BY​ ​ THE​ ​ 7TH​ RESPONDENT TO THE 10 RESPONDENT​ ​ Exhibit P5​ ​ TRUE​ ​ ​ COPY​​OF​​ THE​​LETTER​​ NO.ROC​​ NO.6951/24/M​ DATED​ ​ ​ 28.05.2024​ ​ ISSUED​ ​ BY​ ​ THE​ ​ 7TH​ RESPONDENT TO THE 10 RESPONDENT​ ​ Exhibit P6​ ​ TRUE​ ​ ​ COPY​​OF​​ THE​​LETTER​​ NO.ROC​​ NO.6957/24/M​ DATED​ ​ ​ 28.05.2024​ ​ ISSUED​ ​ BY​ ​ THE​ ​ 7TH​ RESPONDENT TO THE 10 RESPONDENT​ ​ Exhibit P7​ ​ TRUE​ ​ ​ COPY​​OF​​ THE​​LETTER​​ NO.ROC​​ NO.7130/24/M​ DATED​ ​ ​ 06.06.2024​ ​ ISSUED​ ​ BY​ ​ THE​ ​ 7TH​ RESPONDENT TO THE 10 RESPONDENT​ ​ Exhibit P8​ ​ TRUE​ ​ COPY​ ​ OF​ ​ THE​ ​ PROCEEDINGS​ ​ NO.ROC/2357/24/M​ ​ ​ DATED​ ​14.05.2024​ ​ ISSUED​​ BY​ THE 7TH RESPONDENT​ ​ Exhibit P9​ ​ TRUE​ ​ ​ COPY​ ​ OF​ ​ THE​ ​ INFORMATION​ ​ ISSUED​ ​BY​ ​ THE​ PUBLIC​ ​ ​ INFORMATION​ ​ OFFICER​ ​ OF​ ​THE​ ​ 12TH​ RESPONDENT DATED 12.08.2024​ ​ Exhibit P10​ ​ TRUE​ ​ ​ COPY​ ​ OF​ ​ THE​ ​ INFORMATION​ ​ DATED​ 05.08.2024​ ​ PROVIDED​ ​ BY​ ​ THE​ ​ PUBLIC​ ​ INFORMATION​ ​ ​ OFFICER,​ ​ OFFICE​ ​ OF​ ​ THE​ COMPETENT AUTHORITY, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM​ ​ Exhibit P11​ ​ TRUE​ ​ ​ COPY​ ​OF​ ​ THE​ ​REPRESENTATION​ ​ SUBMITTED​ BY​ ​ ​ THE​ ​PETITIONER​ ​ TO​ ​ THE​ ​3RD​ ​RESPONDENT​ DATED 16.08.2024​ ​ Exhibit P12​ ​ TRUE COPY OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS (2 NUMBERS)​ ​ ​2025:KER:56156​ ​8​ ​WP(C) No. 44611 of 2024​ RESPONDENT EXHIBITS​ ​ EXHIBIT R5(a)​ ​ ​RUE​ ​ T COPY​ ​ OF​​ THE​​NOTIFICATION​​NO.S.O.728(E)​ DATED​ ​ ​ 25/02/2014​ ​ ISSUED​ ​ BY​ ​ THE​ ​ MINISTRY​ ​ OF​ CULTURE, GOVERNMENT OF INDIA​ ​ EXHIBIT R5(b)​ ​ ​RUE​ ​ T COPY​ ​ OF​ ​ THE​ ​ LETTER​ ​ OF​ ​ ADMINISTRATIVE​ OFFICER,​ ​ ​ THIRUVALLAM​ ​SREE​ ​ PARASURAMA​​ TEMPLE​ ON 20/04/2024​ ​ EXHIBIT R5(c)​ ​ ​RUE​ ​ T COPY​ ​ OF​ ​ THE​ ​ LETTER​ ​ NO.228/24/CA/AMASR​ DATED 03/06/2024 OF THE COMPETENT AUTHORITY​ ​ EXHIBIT R7(a)​ ​ ​RUE​ ​ T COPY​​OF​​THE​​COVERING​​ LETTER​​NO.39/2025​ DATED​ ​ ​ 5.5.2025​ ​ ISSUED​​BY​​THE​​ADMINISTRATIVE​ OFFICER,​ ​ ​ THIRUVALLAM​ ​ DEVASWOM,​ ​ TRAVANCORE​ DEVASWOM​ ​ ​ BOARD​ ​TO​ ​ THE​ ​COMPETENT​ ​AUTHORITY,​ SREEPADAM​ ​ ​ KOTTARAM,​ ​ALONG​ ​ WITH​ ​ THE​ ​ FORM​ ​ I​ APPLICATION​ ​ EXHIBIT R13(a)​ ​ THE​ ​ ​ PHOTOGRAPHS​ ​ SHOWING​ ​ THE​ ​UNAUTHORIZED​ HANUMAN​ ​ ​ STATUE,​ ​ UNAUTHORIZED​ ​ BRIDGE​ ​AND​ UNAUTHORIZED​ ​ ​ OPENING​ ​ MADE​ ​IN​ ​THE​ ​ TEMPLE​ COMPOUND​ ​ EXHIBIT R13(b)​ ​ COPY​ ​ ​ OF​ ​ THE​ ​ QUESTION​ ​AND​ ​ANSWER​ ​ISSUED​ ​ FOR​ THE​ ​ ​ SUPERINTENDING​ ​ ENGINEER​ ​ IRRIGATION​ DEPARTMENT​ ​ ​ UNDER​ ​ THE​ ​ RTI​ ​ ACT​ ​ DATED​ 12.02.2025​ ​ EXHIBIT R13(c)​ ​ COPY​ ​ ​ OF​ ​THE​ ​ APPLICATION​ ​ AND​ ​ ANSWER​ ​ ISSUED​ UNDER​ ​ ​ THE​ ​ RTI​ ​ ACT​ ​ BY​ ​ 12TH​ ​RESPONDENT​ ​DATED​ 12.03.2025​ ​