Kerala High Court appoints observer for Sabarimala priest selection
The Kerala High Court has ordered additional oversight of the selection of head priests for the Sabarimala and Malikappuram temples. A retired judge will observe interviews and the later draw of lots after applications were screened through a vigilance inquiry.
The Kerala High Court has directed that the selection of new Melsanthis, or head priests, for the Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha and Malikappuram temples be conducted with transparency. The Division Bench of Justices V. Raja Vijayaraghavan and K.V.
Jayakumar was considering a report filed by Sabarimala Special Commissioner R. Jayakrishnan. The court appointed retired High Court judge Justice V.G.
Arun as observer for the interview process, which is scheduled for October 5 at the Travancore Devaswom Board headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram. Justice Arun will also supervise the subsequent drawing of lots for the appointments, which will take place at the Sabarimala Sannidhanam, the court said. A total of 48 applications were received for the Sabarimala post and 30 for Malikappuram.
Following a vigilance inquiry, five applicants were recommended for interview at Sabarimala and three at Malikappuram. The appointments will be for one year. The tenure is scheduled to run from Vrischikam 1 to Thulam 31 next year, corresponding to November 17, 2026, to November 16, 2027.
The order sets out oversight for both the interview stage and the draw of lots. The source material does not provide further details about the applicants or the findings of the vigilance inquiry.
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