The Kerala High Court has dismissed a petition challenging the entry of two Christian priests into the Sree Parthasarathy Temple in Adoor, Pathanamthitta district in 2023. The priests, invited as guests for a Sreekrishna Jayanthi function, had entered the temple with the permission of the tantri, the chief priest. The petitioner, Sanil Narayanan Nampoothiri, argued that their entry violated the Kerala Hindu Places of Public Worship (Authorisation of Entry) Rules, which bar non-Hindus from entering temples.
The court, however, noted an inconsistency between the parent Act of 1965 and Rule 3(a) of the subordinate rules. “It is for the Government to examine whether Rule 3(a) requires reconsideration, amendment or modification so as to bring it in consonance with legislative intent and constitutional principles,” the bench of Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan and K.V. Jayakumar said.
The judges said that “law is not static; it evolves with society. Statutes, rules and regulations must not become instruments to foment discord or disharmony between religions, castes, sub-castes, or communities.”
The court also highlighted Supreme Court rulings stating that if there is a conflict between a parent Act and the rules made under it, the Act prevails.
The Devaswom Board, managing the temple, stated that the Christian priests were invited as guests and that their entry had been allowed by the tantri, making it lawful. The court further observed that restrictions preventing non-Hindus from entering temples could be considered a “religious practice,” but not an “essential religious practice” and that allowing non-Hindu worshippers does not alter the core tenets of Hinduism.
The High Court asked the Kerala government to review the rules after consulting temple authorities, religious scholars, and other stakeholders to ensure that the laws reflect constitutional values and social harmony.
