Ombudsman appointed for Devaswom Boards

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday appointed former High Court judge R. Bhaskaran as Ombudsman for the Travancore and Cochin Devaswom Boards to look into complaints against the functioning of the Boards and temples and institutions under them and to investigate such complaints.

A Division Bench of Justice K.S. Radhakrishnan and Justice T.R. Ramachandran Nair directed the Boards to provide sufficient infrastructure for the Ombudsman. It directed the government to provide the service of a police officer of high reputation and integrity, not below the rank of Superintendent of Police, and sufficient police officers to the Ombudsman to investigate and take appropriate action on complaints. The government should spare the service of a special tahsildar for recovering property of the Boards.

The appointment is for three years. The court ordered that the Ombudsman would take charge on December 1 and function from Kochi. The Bench appointed the Ombudsman in response to a suggestion made by the review committee on the implementation of the directives made by the high-power commission on the functioning of the Boards. The committee, headed by former High Court judge B.M. Thulasidas, felt that an Ombudsman could be appointed to “facilitate speedy disposal” of complaints. It had found the functioning of the Boards unsatisfactory.

The Bench said the government and others were unanimous that there had been large-scale corruption in the Boards and maladministration of temples and properties of the Boards. The government took the stand that urgent measures should be taken in view of the serious allegations of corruption in the Boards.

The court pointed out that the Travancore-Cochin Hindu Religious Institutions Act empowered the High Court to control and supervise the Board’s functioning. The court observed that the Ombudsman would be of considerable help to the High Court in discharging its duties and responsibilities.