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Kerala High Court

Padmanabhan Namboothiri vs The Malabar Devaswom Board on 6 August, 2025

​WP(C) No. 27883 of 2025​        ​1​                       ​2025:KER:58706​




             IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM​
             ​

                                 PRESENT​
                                 ​

       THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE RAJA VIJAYARAGHAVAN V​
       ​

                                        &​
                                        ​

            THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE K. V. JAYAKUMAR​
            ​

                   TH​
                   ​
   WEDNESDAY, THE 6​
   ​                   DAY OF AUGUST 2025 / 15TH SRAVANA,​
                       ​

                                       1947​
                                       ​

                        WP(C) NO. 27883 OF 2025​
                        ​

PETITIONERS:​
​

       1​
       ​        ​ADMANABHAN NAMBOOTHIRI​
                P
                AGED 60 YEARS​
                ​
                S/O. KUNHIRAMAN NAMBOOTHIRI. K, KAPOTHAN ILLAM,​
                ​
                CHANTHERA, P. O - MANIYATT, VIA-THRIKKARIPPUR,​
                ​
                KASARAGOD DISTRICT., PIN - 671310​
                ​

       2​
       ​        ​REEDHARAN NAMBOOTHIRI, AGED 54 YEARS​
                S
                KUNHIRAMAN NAMBOOTHIRI. K, KAPOTHAN ILLAM, CHANTHERA,​
                ​
                P. O - MANIYATT, VIA-THRIKKARIPPUR, KASARAGOD​
                ​
                DISTRICT., PIN - 671310​
                ​

       3​
       ​        ​NNIKRISHAN NAMBOODIRI​
                U
                AGED 39 YEARS​
                ​
                S/O. VASUDEVAN NAMBOOTHIRI, KAPOTHAN ILLAM, KINATHIL,​
                ​
                EDACHAKKAI P. O, VIA-THRIKKARIPPUR, KASARAGOD​
                ​
                DISTRICT., PIN - 671310​
                ​

       4​
       ​        ​NNIKRISHAN NAMBOODIRI​
                U
                AGED 33 YEARS​
                ​
                S/O. KRISHNAN NAMBOOTHIRI, KAPOTHAN ILLAM, KINATHIL,​
                ​
                EDACHAKKAI P. O, VIA-THRIKKARIPPUR, KASARAGOD DISTRICT,​
                ​
                PIN - 671310​
                ​
 ​WP(C) No. 27883 of 2025​     ​2​                          ​2025:KER:58706​




       5​
       ​        ​ESAVAN NAMBOODIRI​
                K
                AGED 31 YEARS​
                ​
                KRISHNAN NAMBOOTHIRI, KAPOTHAN ILLAM, KINATHIL,​
                ​
                EDACHAKKAI P. O, VIA-THRIKKARIPPUR, KASARAGOD DISTRICT,​
                ​
                PIN - 671310​
                ​


                BY ADV SHRI.P.T.MOHANKUMAR​
                ​

RESPONDENTS:​

​ 1​ ​ ​HE MALABAR DEVASWOM BOARD​ T OFFICE OF THE MALABAR DEVASWOM BOARD,HOUSEFED COMPLEX,​ ​ ERANHIPPALAM PO., KOZHIKODE, REPRESENTED BY ITS​ ​ SECRETARY., PIN - 673006​ ​ 2​ ​ ​HE BOARD OF TRUSTEES/MANAGING COMMITTEE, TTK DEVASWOM​ T OFFICE OF T T K DEVASWOM, THALIPARAMBA, KANNUR​ ​ DISTRICT., PIN - 670141​ ​ 3​ ​ ​HE EXECUTIVE OFFICER, TTK DEVASWOM​ T OFFICE OF T T K DEVASWOM, THALIPARAMBA, KANNUR​ ​ DISTRICT, PIN - 670141​ ​ SMT.R.RANJANIE, SC, TDB​ ​ ​HIS​ ​ T WRIT​ ​ PETITION​ ​ (CIVIL)​​ HAVING​​COME​​ UP​​ FOR​​ ADMISSION​​ ON​ 06.08.2025,​ ​ ​ THE​ ​ COURT​ ​ ON​ ​THE​ ​ SAME​ ​ DAY​ ​ DELIVERED​ ​ THE​ FOLLOWING:​ ​ ​WP(C) No. 27883 of 2025​ ​3​ ​2025:KER:58706​ ​J U D G M E N T​ ​Raja Vijayaraghavan V, J.​ ​The​ ​petitioners​ ​state​ ​that​ ​they​ ​are​ ​the​ ​next​ ​in​ ​line​ ​of​ ​hereditary​ ​Melshanthikkar/Aarchakars​ ​of​ ​Sree​ ​Raja​ ​Rajeshwara​ ​Temple​ ​and​ ​Sree​ ​Kanhirangatt​ ​Vaidyanatha​ ​Temple,​ ​Thaliparamba,​ ​Kannur​ ​District.​ ​According​ ​to​ ​them,​ ​as​ ​the​ ​hereditary​ ​priests​ ​are​ ​of​ ​advanced​ ​age,​ ​the​ ​petitioners​ ​are​ ​the​ ​persons​​who​​perform​​poojas​​and​​rituals​​on​​their​​behalf.​​Ext.P3​​notice​​was​​issued​ ​calling​ ​upon​ ​the​ ​persons​ ​working​ ​in​ ​hereditary​ ​posts​ ​to​ ​place​ ​documents​ ​to​ ​substantiate​ ​that​ ​they​ ​are​ ​entitled​ ​to​ ​succeed​ ​to​ ​the​ ​posts​​of​​hereditary​​priests.​ ​On​ ​receipt​ ​of​ ​notice,​ ​Ext.P4​ ​application​ ​was​​submitted​​by​​the​​priests​​consenting​ ​to​ ​appoint​ ​the​ ​petitioners​ ​to​ ​the​ ​substantive​ ​posts​ ​of​ ​Melshanthikkar​ ​being​ ​the​ ​next​ ​eligible​ ​members​ ​of​ ​the​ ​respective​ ​branches​ ​in​ ​the​ ​line​ ​of​ ​succession.​ ​According​ ​to​ ​them,​ ​they​ ​were​​served​​with​​Ext.P5​​notice​​wherein​​it​​is​​stated​​that​ ​since​ ​no​ ​documents​ ​were​ ​produced​ ​to​ ​substantiate​ ​their​ ​contention,​ ​the​ ​two​ ​posts​ ​of​ ​Melshanthikkar​ ​will​ ​be​ ​converted​ ​to​​non-hereditary​​posts​​and​​a​​request​ ​will​​be​​made​​to​​the​​1st​​respondent​​for​​approval.​​Being​​aggrieved,​​the​​petitioners​ ​filed​ ​Ext.P7​ ​petition​ ​invoking​ ​Section​ ​18​ ​(1)​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Madras​ ​Hindu​ ​Religious​ ​and​ ​Charitable​​Endowments​​Act,​​1951,​​before​​the​​Commissioner​​seeking​​intervention.​ ​However, the said petition was rejected by issuing an order as under:​ ​WP(C) No. 27883 of 2025​ ​4​ ​2025:KER:58706​ ​"The​ ​decision​ ​or​ ​order​ ​is​ ​not​ ​seen​ ​mentioned​ ​or​ ​copy​ ​of​ ​the​ ​order​ ​or​ ​decision​ ​is​ ​not​ ​produced.​ ​Revision​ ​Petition​ ​is​ ​not​ ​sustainable​ ​on​ ​a​ ​notice​ ​issued​ ​by​ ​the​ ​Executive​ ​Officer.​ ​Hence​ ​the​ ​petition​ ​is​ ​rejected​ ​with​ ​liberty​ ​to​ ​file​ ​R.P.​ ​with​ ​the​ ​documents."​ ​2.​ ​Being​ ​aggrieved,​ ​this​ ​Writ​ ​Petition​ ​is​ ​filed​ ​seeking​ ​the​ ​following​ ​reliefs:​ ​(i)​ ​To​ ​call​ ​for​ ​and​ ​examine​ ​the​ ​legality,​ ​regularity​ ​and​ ​propriety​ ​of​ ​Exhibit P-5 order issued by Respondent No.2;​ ​ii)​ ​To​ ​issue​ ​a​ ​writ,​ ​order​ ​or​ ​direction​ ​in​ ​the​ ​nature​ ​of​ ​certiorari​ ​or​ ​other​ ​appropriate​ ​form​ ​of​ ​writ​ ​setting​ ​aside​ ​Exhibit​ ​P-5​ ​order​ ​passed​​by​​Respondent​​No.3,​​ignoring​​the​​pendency​​of​​Exhibit​​P-4​ ​application​ ​submitted​ ​by​ ​the​ ​customary​ ​archakas/melshanthikkar​ ​for​ ​appointing​ ​the​ ​Petitioners​ ​in​ ​that​ ​capacity​ ​since​ ​they​ ​are​ ​entitled to be so appointed in the next line of succession.​ ​iii)​ ​To​ ​issue​ ​a​ ​writ,​ ​order​ ​or​ ​direction​​in​​the​​nature​​of​​mandamus​​or​ ​other​ ​appropriate​ ​form​ ​of​​writ​​commanding​​the​​Respondent​​Nos.​ ​2​ ​and​ ​3​ ​to​ ​take​ ​up​ ​Exhibit​ ​P-4​ ​application​ ​and​ ​to​ ​pass​ ​orders​ ​appointing​ ​the​ ​Petitioners​ ​as​ ​archakas/​ ​melshanthikkars​ ​in​ ​accordance​ ​with​ ​law​ ​within​ ​such​ ​time​ ​as​ ​may​ ​be​ ​fixed​ ​by​ ​this​ ​Honourable Court.​ ​3.​ ​Sri.​ ​Mohan​ ​Kumar.​ ​P.P.,​ ​the​ ​learned​ ​counsel​ ​appearing​ ​for​ ​the​ ​petitioners,​ ​submitted​ ​that​ ​Ext.P5​ ​would​ ​not​ ​disclose​ ​that​ ​the​ ​2nd​ ​respondent​ ​has​​taken​​a​​decision​​on​​Ext.P4​​application​​where​​the​​Melsanthikkar​​had​​signified​ ​WP(C) No. 27883 of 2025​ ​5​ ​2025:KER:58706​ ​their​​consent​​to​​appoint​​the​​petitioners​​with​​a​​substantive​​post​​of​​Melsanthikkar.​ ​Ext.P5​ ​would​ ​not​ ​reveal​ ​that​ ​any​ ​decision​ ​has​ ​been​ ​taken​ ​on​ ​Ext.P4.​ ​Furthermore,​ ​it​ ​is​ ​submitted​ ​that​ ​the​​3rd​​respondent​​has​​no​​authority​​or​​power​ ​to consider Ext.P4 and take a decision.​ ​4.​ ​Sri.​ ​R.​ ​Ranjanie,​ ​the​ ​learned​ ​Standing​ ​Counsel​ ​appearing​ ​for​ ​the​ ​Malabar​ ​Devaswom​​Board,​​submitted​​that​​the​​remedy​​open​​to​​the​​petitioners​​is​ ​to​ ​approach​ ​the​ ​Commissioner​ ​under​ ​Section​ ​18​ ​of​ ​the​​Madras​​Hindu​​Religious​ ​and Charitable Endowments Act, 1951.​ ​5.​ ​In​ ​response,​ ​Sri.​ ​Mohankumar​ ​submitted​ ​that​ ​the​ ​petitioners​ ​had​ ​preferred​ ​Ext.P7​ ​challenging​ ​Ext.P3​ ​and​ ​the​ ​same​ ​was​ ​rejected​ ​as​ ​not​ ​maintainable.​ ​6.​ ​We​ ​find​ ​that​ ​Ext.P5​ ​is​ ​styled​ ​as​ ​a​ ​notice​ ​issued​ ​by​ ​the​ ​3rd​ ​respondent​ ​wherein​ ​it​​is​​mentioned​​that​​the​​hereditary​​Archakkar/Melsanthikkar​ ​had​ ​not​ ​produced​ ​any​ ​document​ ​and​ ​therefore,​ ​a​ ​decision​ ​has​ ​been​ ​taken​ ​to​ ​change​​the​​posts​​of​​the​​Melsanthikkar​​mentioned​​therein​​to​​non-hereditary​​posts​ ​and​​a​​request​​shall​​be​​submitted​​to​​the​​1st​​respondent​​for​​approval.​ ​It​​does​​not​ ​appear​ ​from​ ​Ext.P5​ ​notice​ ​that​ ​any​ ​decision​ ​had​ ​been​ ​taken​ ​by​ ​the​ ​2nd​ ​respondent​ ​to​ ​Ext.P4​ ​application​ ​submitted​ ​by​ ​the​ ​hereditary​ ​Archakar/Melsanthikkar.​ ​As​ ​rightly​ ​submitted​ ​by​ ​the​ ​learned​ ​counsel,​ ​non-consideration​ ​of​ ​Ext.P4​ ​application​ ​will​ ​result​ ​in​ ​serious​ ​prejudice.​ ​In​ ​that​ ​WP(C) No. 27883 of 2025​ ​6​ ​2025:KER:58706​ ​view of the matter, we are of the view that necessary directions can be issued.​ ​7.​ ​In​​the​​result,​​this​​Writ​​Petition​​is​​disposed​​of​ ​quashing​​Ext.P5​​notice​ ​with​​a​​further​​direction​​to​​the​​3rd​​respondent​​to​​consider​​Ext.P4​​application​​and​ ​pass​ ​appropriate​ ​orders​ ​with​ ​notice​ ​to​ ​the​ ​hereditary​​Archakkars/Melsanthikkar.​ ​A​​decision​​shall​​be​​taken,​​expeditiously,​​in​​any​​event,​​within​​an​​outer​​limit​​of​​six​ ​weeks from today.​ ​Sd/-​ ​RAJA VIJAYARAGHAVAN V,​ ​JUDGE​ ​Sd/-​ ​K.V. JAYAKUMAR,​ ​JUDGE​ ​PS/6/8/25​ ​WP(C) No. 27883 of 2025​ ​7​ ​2025:KER:58706​ APPENDIX OF WP(C) 27883/2025​ ​ PETITIONER EXHIBITS​ ​ Exhibit P-1​ ​ ​RUE​ ​ T COPY​ ​ OF​ ​ THE​ ​ DEED​ ​ OF​ ​ PARTITION,​ REGISTERED​ ​ ​ AS​ ​ NO.​ ​ 2067/1971,​ ​ BETWEEN​ KUNHIRAMAN​ ​ ​ NAMBOODIRI​ ​ &​ ​ OTHERS,​ ​ DATED​ 22-09-1971​ ​ Exhibit P-2​ ​ TRUE​ ​ ​ COPY​ ​ OF​ ​ THE​ ​ CIRCULAR​ ​ ISSUED​ ​ BY​ RESPONDENT NO.3 ,DATED 20-03-2025.​ ​ Exhibit P-3​ ​ TRUE​ ​ ​ COPY​ ​ OF​ ​THE​​ORDER,​​ ISSUED​​BY​​RESPONDENT​ NO.3, DATED 22-05-2025​ ​ Exhibit P-4​ ​ TRUE​ ​ ​ COPY​ ​ OF​ ​ THE​ ​ APPLICATION​ ​ SEEKING​ APPOINTMENT​ ​ OF​ ​ THE​ ​ PETITIONERS​ ​ AS​ ​ MELSHANTHIKKAR,​ ​ ​ ALONG​ ​WITH​ ​THE​ ​CONSENT​ ​ OF​ SRI.​ ​ ​ KUNHIRAMAN​ ​ NAMBOODIRI​ ​ AND​ ​ OTHERS,​ 20-06-2025​ ​ Exhibit P-5​ ​ TRUE​ ​ ​ COPY​ ​ OF​ ​THE​ ​ORDER​ ​ ISSUED​ ​BY​ ​ RESPONDENT​ NO.3,​ ​ ​ FOR​ ​ CHANGING​ ​ THE​ ​HEREDITARY​ ​ POSTS​ ​TO​ NON-HEREDITARY POSTS, DATED 15-07- 2025​ ​ Exhibit P-6​ ​ TRUE​ ​ ​ COPY​ ​ OF​ ​THE​​ORDER,​​ ISSUED​​BY​​RESPONDENT​ NO.3, DATED 17-06-2025​ ​ Exhibit P-7​ ​ TRUE​ ​ ​ COPY​ ​ OF​ ​THE​ ​PETITION​ ​PRESENTED​ ​BY​ ​ SRI.​ KUNHIRAMAN​ ​ ​ NAMBOODIRI​ ​ AND​ ​ OTHERS​ ​BEFORE​ ​ THE​ COMMISSIONER​ ​ ​ OF​ ​ THE​ ​RESPONDENT​ ​ NO.1,​ ​UNDER​ SECTION​ ​ ​ 18​ ​ (1)​ ​OF​ ​ THE​ ​ MADRAS​ ​H.​ ​R.​ ​ &​ ​ C.​ ​ E​ ACT, 1951, DATED 18-07-2025​ ​