SC to pronounce judgement on Shree Padmanabhaswamy Temple on July 13

The Supreme Court is scheduled to pronounce its judgement on Monday on the administration and management of Thiruvananthapuram's historic Shree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, estimated to have Rs 1 lakh crore in wealth, along with its "mystical" energy.

A bench of Justices a bench of Justices U U Lalit and Indu Malhotra would deliver the verdict at 10.30 am on July 13.

Among the others issues, the court may decide upon the rights of the royal family on temple, feasibility of forming a devasom board like Guruvayur and Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams and opening of the Kallara (vault) B of the temple, believed to contain some mystical energy. The judgement was reserved on April 10, 2019 after about nine years of hearing.

Senior advocate Gopal Subramanian has acted as amicus curiae in the matter. Former CAG Vinod Rai was also appointed to audit the records including expenditures incurred for temple's upkeep.

The court has also appointed former apex court judge Justice K S Radhakrishnan as chairman of the selection committee which was constituted for works, including in the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum).

The controversy over the administration and management of the historic temple has been pending in the apex court since 2011 in the wake of charges of financial irregularities.

The sprawling temple, an architectural splendour in granite, was rebuilt in its present form in the 18th century by the Travancore Royal family led by Shri Marthanda Varma who had ruled southern Kerala and some adjoining parts of Tamil Nadu before integration of the princely state with the Indian Union in 1947.

Even after India's independence, the temple continued to be governed by a trust controlled by the erstwhile royal family for whom Lord Padmanabha (Vishnu) is their family deity.