Balakrishna Menon, J.:

By these writ petitions three persons as worshippers in the Sree Krishna Temple at Guruvayoor challenge the constitutional validity of the Guruvayoor Devaswom Act. 1978 (Act 14 of 1978). The petitioner in OP. No. 7592 of 1984 is also the Vice President of the Kshetra Samrakshana Saroithi, a society registered under the Societies Registration Act with objects inter alia to see that necessary measures are taken to ensure that the temples in Kerala are administered and managed in the interests of the worshippers.

2. The Sree Krishna Temple at Guruvayoor hallowed by legend and the memory of saints like Villwamangalam Swamiar (Leela Suka who wrote Sree Krishna Karnamntham), Melpathur, (the author of Narayaneeyam), Poonthanam, (who sang Gnanapana) and Kururarnma, is unique in its importance to the devotees from all over India. The legend is that the idol. installed in the temple made of a rare stone "Pathala Anjanam" was presented by Lord Vishnu himself to Lord Brahma who. later on gave it for worship to his sod Kashyapa Prajapathi. By subsequent events it came to the hands of Vasudeva, father of Lord Krishna and the idol was worshipped by Vasudeva and Lo