Thu Apr 10 15:01:09 UTC 2025: ## Malabar Devaswom Board Stalled by Leadership Vacuum
**Kozhikode, Kerala – April 10, 2025** – The Malabar Devaswom Board (MDB), overseeing 1,600 temples and over 6,000 employees across six Kerala districts, is facing operational paralysis due to a vacant chairmanship since January 16th. The absence of a leader is hindering crucial decisions and creating concerns ahead of major events like the Kottiyoor Temple festival in May.
According to V.V. Sreenivasan, convener of the MDB’s joint action council of trade unions, the board’s inability to meet is preventing essential tasks. These include coordinating with the district administration and police for the Kottiyoor festival, undertaking ₹10 lakh in temple repairs before the monsoon, and finalizing the appointments of recently hired employees. The delayed appointments prevent these employees from becoming permanent. The board also needs to finalize temple offerings and allocate government management funds to financially struggling temples, a process currently stalled.
Sreenivasan warns that continued inaction will lead to “a state of anarchy” within the MDB. He urges immediate appointment of a new chairman to address the growing concerns and ensure the smooth functioning of the board.
First Piper 