Joseph George vs Cochin Devaswom Board on 27 October, 2023
30. In the order dated 08.06.2011 in DBP No.48 of 2010,
this Court directed that no other programmes except those
permitted will be undertaken without specific orders of this Court.
The said order was made absolute in the order dated 08.07.2013
in DBP No.48 of 2010, wherein it was ordered that all the
directions will remain as such for future application. In Petition
No.23 of 2013, filed by the 1st respondent Board seeking
permission to use Sree Vadakkunnathan Kshethra Maidan
(Thekkinkadu Maidan) for commercial purposes like conducting
exhibitions, etc., permission was also sought for allowing political
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W.P.(C)No.33334 of 2023
parties to conduct meetings, etc., in the Kshethra Maidan. In the
order dated 30.09.2013 in DBP No.78 of 2013, arising out of
Petition No.23 of 2013, the Division Bench noticed that the view
taken in paragraph 3 of the order dated 08.07.2013 in DBP No.48
of 2010 is that only restricted activities can be permitted in
Thekkinkadu Maidan apart from using it in connection with
Thrissur Pooram Festival. If any other unrestricted activities are
permitted, it will have an adverse impact on the property which
is one of the important locations as far as the entire town is
concerned. Therefore, the order passed in DBP No.48 of 2010 will
take care of all matters which may arise in future. In the said
order dated 30.09.2013, the Division Bench clarified that,
whenever fresh applications or proposals are received from
interested parties, the Cochin Devaswom Board will place the
matter before this Court for consideration and only after sanction
by this Court any such activities can be permitted. Ext.P4
judgment dated 11.04.2023 - K.B.Sumodh v. Commissioner,
Cochin Devaswom Board [2023:KER:25530] is one rendered
by this Court after taking note of various orders of the Division
Bench on the point including the orders in DBP Nos.48 of 2010
and 78 of 2013. In such circumstances, we find absolutely no
merit in the contention of the learned counsel for the petitioner
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W.P.(C)No.33334 of 2023
that the directions contained in Ext.P4 judgment will not stand in
the way of the 1st respondent Board and its officials in granting
permission to the petitioner for film shooting in Sree
Vadakkunnathan Kshethra Maidan.