<p>The committee would interview the applicants, award marks and select the head priests of both Sabarimala and Malikappuram temples, TDB President M Rajagopalan Nair told reporters here.<br /><br />The new procedure was adopted against the background of discussions initiated by former Supreme Court judge Justice K T Thomas, who was appointed by the apex court as a mediator to resolve the disputes in the matter.<br /><br />"There have been disputes about the selection process of head priests of Sabarimala for more than a decade. TDB used to select the priests earlier for a long period. However, members of Thazhamon Madom also became the part of the selection committee since 2002," Nair said.<br /><br />The erstwhile Pandalam royal family had approached the court along with the thantri family claiming rights in priests' selection following which the court appointed Justice K T Thomas as a mediator, he said.<br /><br />All parties including the royal house and thantri family had agreed to the setting up of the new selection committee, he said.<br /><br />Besides TDB members and the expert thantri from outside, the panel will also two 'thantris' of Thazhamon Madom.<br /><br />The selection committee will be valid for one year. But the same procedure will be adopted for its composition every year.<br /><br />The TDB manages the Lord Ayyappa hill shrine.</p>
<p>The committee would interview the applicants, award marks and select the head priests of both Sabarimala and Malikappuram temples, TDB President M Rajagopalan Nair told reporters here.<br /><br />The new procedure was adopted against the background of discussions initiated by former Supreme Court judge Justice K T Thomas, who was appointed by the apex court as a mediator to resolve the disputes in the matter.<br /><br />"There have been disputes about the selection process of head priests of Sabarimala for more than a decade. TDB used to select the priests earlier for a long period. However, members of Thazhamon Madom also became the part of the selection committee since 2002," Nair said.<br /><br />The erstwhile Pandalam royal family had approached the court along with the thantri family claiming rights in priests' selection following which the court appointed Justice K T Thomas as a mediator, he said.<br /><br />All parties including the royal house and thantri family had agreed to the setting up of the new selection committee, he said.<br /><br />Besides TDB members and the expert thantri from outside, the panel will also two 'thantris' of Thazhamon Madom.<br /><br />The selection committee will be valid for one year. But the same procedure will be adopted for its composition every year.<br /><br />The TDB manages the Lord Ayyappa hill shrine.</p>