Govt moots ordinance to amend TCHRI Act

A special Cabinet on Friday decided to recommend to Governor P. Sathasivam to promulgate an ordinance to reduce the tenure of Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) members from three to two years.

The government would promulgate an ordinance to amend the Travancore Cochin Hindu Religious Institutions Act, 1950. This would also empower the government to revise the honorarium of the presidents and members of the Travancore and Cochin Devaswom Boards from time to time and introduce a sitting fee too. The honorarium of the presidents has been fixed at ₹5,000 and that of members at ₹3,000. There is no provision for sitting fee. The draft ordinance has included the provision for revision.

TDB chief’s reaction

TDB president Prayar Gopalakrishnan felt the government action just five days before the start of the Sabarimala pilgrimage smacked of political vengeance. Mr. Gopalakrishnan said he would not go for legal action against the government. “All arrangements have been made for the Mandalam and Makaravilakku festivals. No graft charges have been raised against me and I am stepping down with satisfaction,” he told The Hindu .

Chennithala’s demand

Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala gave a letter to Mr. Sathasivam asking him not to sign the ordinance. The change, while the preparations for the festival were being completed, would affect its conduct. There were no complaints or allegations against the present board. This was a politically motivated decision. Though the Assembly had met on Thursday, the Bill was not piloted. This is undemocratic, he said.

BJP demand

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State president Kummanam Rajasekharan also wrote a letter to Mr. Sathasivam requesting him not to sign the ordinance. Th decision would affect the festival preparations. After taking over the Guruvayur Parthasarathy temple, now the government was trying to wrest control of the Devaswom boards too. Atheists should not take over temple administration. While the government got an income of ₹10,000 crore from Sabarimala, it had not done anything to improve facilities at the temple, he said.