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The Kerala High Court has issued directives to the Guruvayur Devaswom Managing Committee to ensure the financial audits are conducted in strict compliance with the Guruvayur Devaswom Act.
A Division Bench comprising Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice KV Jayakumar highlighted communication gaps and significant structural deficiencies between the Devaswom administration and the Kerala State Audit Department while considering a suo motu petition regarding statutory audit proceedings. The court noted several critical lapses, including long delays in finalising annual accounts, an absence of physical verification records for valuable assets including gold and silver and a failure to provide auditors with access credentials or training for digital transaction systems such as e-Hundis, POS machines, and online booking portals. The court was also informed that Devaswom owes about Rs 14.72 crore in outstanding audit charges to the state government. To rectify these issues, the High Court directed the Managing Committee to submit a concrete schedule for clearing the outstanding audit fees and to provide the statutory audit wing with read access and login credentials for all online transaction platforms within three weeks. The court ordered the Devaswom to provide necessary training and digital tools to auditors, maintain detailed audit logs, Audit Department to resolve pending audit queries, and to schedule regular coordination meetings between the Devaswom Administrator and furnish certificates of annual physical verification for all movable assets. The bench also advised the committee to consider hiring an institutional consultant, such as the Centre for Management Development (CMD) or the State e-Governance Mission Team (SeMT), to undertake a digital overhaul of its administrative and financial workflows. Implementing an integrated enterprise software solution would enable real-time tracking of receipts, expenditures, donations, and assets, thereby strengthening financial transparency and restoring public confidence in the administration of the shrine. Guruvayur Devaswom is an autonomous statutory body that manages the world-famous Guruvayur Sree Krishna Temple and several associated temples in Kerala, India. It handles daily rituals, pilgrim facilities, financial offerings, and cultural events like the Chembai Sangeetholsavam under state regulation. (ANI)
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