Fri Jan 16 16:45:42 UTC 2026: ## Travancore Devaswom Board Faces Court Scrutiny Over Temple Fund Auditing

The Story:

The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has informed the Kerala High Court that Kerala State Information Technology Infrastructure Ltd (KSITIL), a public sector unit, has been appointed as a consultant to develop software for auditing temple funds. This development comes after the court, on January 13, 2026, strongly urged the board to implement a comprehensive and tamper-proof system for managing the revenue and expenditure of all institutions under its governance. The court has now directed the TDB to verify KSITIL’s expertise for the task. The legal action stems from a plea regarding alleged irregularities in the sale of “Adiya Sishtam Ghee” at the Sabarimala Sannidhanam.

Key Points:

  • The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) appointed Kerala State Information Technology Infrastructure Ltd (KSITIL) as a consultant.
  • KSITIL will prepare a request for proposal (RFP) for software to audit temple funds.
  • The Kerala High Court directed the TDB to verify KSITIL’s expertise.
  • The court reminded the TDB on January 13, 2026, of its statutory obligation to implement a robust auditing system.
  • The legal proceedings originate from alleged irregularities in the sale of “Adiya Sishtam Ghee” at Sabarimala.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Kerala High Court is actively overseeing the financial management of the Travancore Devaswom Board.
  • Lack of transparency and potential irregularities in the past have led to increased judicial intervention.
  • The implementation of a digital auditing system is viewed as critical for accountability within the TDB.
  • Public sector expertise is being sought to address the technological challenges of auditing large sums of money.

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