Suo Motu vs. State Of Kerala
Held
The Court clarified that the Ombudsman's jurisdiction does not extend to individual employee grievances involving rival claims or statutory interpretation. The Ombudsman's reports on complaints from devotees or Temple Advisory Committees regarding maladministration, misappropriation, or corruption in Devaswom institutions should be placed before the Devaswom Bench for appropriate orders.
Facts
A suo motu petition was registered to examine the functions of the Ombudsman for Travancore and Cochin Devaswom Boards. This was prompted by a news item about a temple's dilapidated condition and the Ombudsman's involvement in a repair estimate that included GST, raising questions about the scope of the Ombudsman's powers.
Key Issues
What is the permissible scope of the Ombudsman's functions and jurisdiction concerning complaints related to temple maintenance, maladministration, and individual employee service matters within the Travancore and Cochin Devaswom Boards?
AI-generated summary — verify with the full judgment below
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE ANIL K.NARENDRAN & THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE P.G. AJITHKUMAR TUESDAY, THE 4TH DAY OF APRIL 2023 / 14TH CHAITHRA, 1945 DBP NO. 21 OF 2023 IN THE MATTER OF TRAVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD - MATTER PERTAINING TO FUNCTIONS OF THE LEARNED OMBUDSMAN FOR TRAVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD AND COCHIN DEVASWOM BOARD - SUO MOTU PROCEEDINGS INITIATED BASED ON JUDGMENT DATED 03/03/2023 IN DBP 16/2023 - REG. ------------ PETITIONER:
SUO MOTU RESPONDENTS:
1 STATE OF KERALA REPRESENTED BY THE PRINCIPAL SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT, REVENUE (DEVASWOM) DEPARTMENT, GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - 695001. 2 JOINT DIRECTOR, KERALA STATE AUDIT DEPARTMENT, TRAVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD AUDIT, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - 695003. *3 JOINT DIRECTOR (*CORRECTED) KERALA STATE LOCAL FUND AUDIT, COCHIN DEVASWOM BOARD, SWARAJ ROUND NORTH, THRISSUR - 680001. *CORRECTED AS DEPUTY DIRECTOR, KERALA STATE LOCAL FUND AUDIT, COCHIN DEVASWOM BOARD, SWARAJ ROUND NORTH, THRISSUR - 680 001 *IS CORRECTED AS -2- DBP No.21 of 2023
PER ORDER DATED 21/03/2023 IN DBP.NO.21/2023 4 TRAVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD, REPRESENTED BY IT
The judgment continues below.
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