The Travancore Devaswom Board president and members have tendered an apology to S.Sirijagan, chairman of the High-Power Committee (HPC) for implementation of the Sabarimala Master Plan, and the Kerala High Court for staging a walkout at an HPC meeting in Thiruvananthapuram on January 24.
The walkout was in protest against a proposal of the committee chairman seeking appointment of former Devaswom Commissioner C.P. Ramaraja Prema Prasad as permanent member-secretary of the HPC.
The TDB authorities expressed their disagreement with the HPC chairman for writing to the High Court seeking appointment of Mr. Prasad without consulting the board.
In his report to the Kerala High Court on January 22, Mr. Sirijagan stressed the necessity for appointing a full-time independent member-secretary for the HPC to ensure its smooth functioning and time-bound completion of projects undertaken by it.
K.P.Sankaradas was the only board member who attended the next HPC meeting on February 24.
Separate affidavits
In separate affidavits submitted before the High Court, A.Padmakumar, TDB president, K.Raghavan and K.P.Sankaradas, board members, stated that “the course of action adopted by them to raise the issue before the HPC chairman at the meeting, other than proceeding to bring out their objections before the court, was absolutely improper and incorrect”.
“I hereby unconditionally apologise before the HPC chairman and before the High Court,” the affidavits submitted by the TDB functionaries said.
“Anything that has happened was absolutely unintentional. I have not shown any disrespect to the HPC chairman in my words or deeds.... I hereby unconditionally apologise to the chairman for anything happened knowingly or unknowingly from my part in the HPC meeting held on 24-1-2018,” the affidavit, a copy which is with The Hindu , says.
“I have never spoken anything adverse or disrespectful against the judiciary, more particularly the Supreme Court of India, the High Court or against its judges or the Chief Justices,” the affidavit says.
