Date:27/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/27/stories/2008092755290500.htm

Kerala - Kochi

Sabarimala: TDB told to fund purchase of security equipment

KOCHI: A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Friday directed the Travancore Devaswom Board to give Rs.4.72 crore to the State government for buying security equipment to be installed at Sabarimala.

The Bench comprising Justice P.R. Raman and Justice T.R. Ramachandran Nair said that the government could reimburse the amount later. The court issued the directive in view of the forthcoming Sabarimala season.

The court also made it clear that the equipment so purchased by the government should be installed at Sabarimala and should not be used in other places.

The directive came on a report filed by the Ombudsman for Travancore and Cochin Devaswom Boards on the urgent need to put in place security equipment at Sabarimala.

The Additional Director-General of Police had given a report to the Ombudsman regarding the threat to the temple from terrorists and anti-social elements. The Bench dismissed a petition filed by the former Guruvayur Devaswom Commissioner P.T. Mohanakrishnan against the Devaswom’s order directing him to pay Rs.1.lakh towards the loss caused by him while functioning as Chairman.

Ensure reservation

Justice V. Giri on Friday directed the Commissioner for Entrance Examinations to ensure that mandatory reservation was provided for Scheduled Castes and other socially backward classes candidates in government, cooperative and self-financing medical colleges.

The court ordered that after allotting the seats to the eligible reserved communities, the select list of such candidates be produced before the court. The orders were passed on a writ petition filed by certain candidates against the inaction of the government in duly filling reserved seats in these colleges.