Covid-19 impact : Padmanabhaswamy Temple unable to pay Rs 11.7 crore to Kerala govt for security and maintenance

A temporary administrative committee told the Supreme Court that the donations had been affected due to the pandemic and requested additional time to make the payment, said an NDTV report.

The two judge bench of Justices UU Lalit and Indu Malhotra said it would not pass an order in this regard and let the Kerala government consider the matter.

In a verdict passed in July last year, the Supreme Court had set aside Kerala High Court's order upholding the right of the former royal family of Travancore to manage the temple and said that the state would initially pay all expenses related to the maintenance and security of the temple and this would be later reimbursed.

The court also allowed the royal family to decide on the opening of a secret vault in the temple, shut for years. The royal family had argued that the opening of the vault will usher in misfortune because of a a curse.

The temple had been closed for the devotees due to Covid-19 and reopened in August 26. It was closed again in October after 12 staff members, including 10 priests, tested positive for the infection.

Apart from standard Covid-19 protocols, the temple has issued additional restriction like--limited number of devotees per day, no touching of temple walls and the deities.