Kerala High Court tells Travancore Devaswom Board to ensure Sabarimala prasadam materials conform to temple customs

2 October 2026

A Division Bench of Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice K V Jayakumar directed the Travancore Devaswom Board to exercise greater care while procuring materials for Sabarimala prasadam.
The Bench said future e-tender documents must carry conditions requiring that materials meet quality standards as well as the religious customs and requirements of the temple.
The petition, S J R Kumar v The Travancore Devaswom Board, WP(C) 25645/2021, concerned jaggery carrying a Halal certification mark that was used in Aravana Payasam and Unniyappam.
The supplier, Vardhan Agro Processing Limited of Maharashtra, told the court the marking was affixed for export to West Asia and did not reflect the product's composition.
Testing by the Food Safety Officer found the jaggery satisfactory and free of any substance that made it unsuitable for prasadam.
The petition was disposed of, the court recording the Board's undertaking to be more careful in future procurement. The ruling is reported as 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 541.