IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE RAJA VIJAYARAGHAVAN V &

THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE K. V. JAYAKUMAR TH MONDAY, THE 29 DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2025/7TH ASWINA, 1947 WP(C) NO. 35990 OF 2025 PETITIONER:

YOGESH NAMBOOTHIRI T K, AGED 57 YEARS THEKEDAM MANA, TC NO. 7/1217, VATTIYOOR KAVU, TRIVANDRUM, PIN - 695013 BY ADVS.

SRI.S.KRISHNAMOORTHY SMT.SNEHA ROSE SMT.P.S.ARUNA SRI.D.SREEKUMAR (KALAMASSERY)

RESPONDENTS:

1 TRAVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD, REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY, DEVASWOM HEAD QUARTERS, NANDANCODE, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, PIN - 695003

2 THE DEVASWOM COMMISSIONER, TRAVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD, O/O TRAVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD NANTHANCODE TRIVANDRUM, PIN - 695011 G.BIJU,SC THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 29.09.2025, ALONG WITH WP(C).36150/2025, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING:

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE RAJA VIJAYARAGHAVAN V &

THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE K. V. JAYAKUMAR TH MONDAY, THE 29 DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2025/7TH ASWINA, 1947 WP(C) NO. 36150 OF 2025 PETITIONER:

KRISHNAN NAMBOOTHIRI E.N.

AGED 57 YEARS S/O E.N. KESAVAN NAMBOOTHIRI, ENGADA NEELAMANA ILLOM, THIRUNELLVELI P.O., MANATHAVADI, WAYANAD, PIN - 670676 BY ADVS.

SRI.S.KRISHNAMOORTHY SMT.SNEHA ROSE SMT.P.S.ARUNA SRI.D.SREEKUMAR (KALAMASSERY)

RESPONDENTS:

1 TRAVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY, DEVASWOM HEAD QUARTERS, NANDANCODE, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, PIN - 695003

2 THE DEVASWOM COMMISSIONER TRAVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD, O/O TRAVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD, DEVASWOM HEAD QUARTERS, NANTHANCODE, TRIVANDRUM, PIN - 695003 ADV. G BIJU, SC FOR TDB THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 29.09.2025, ALONG WITH WP(C).35990/2025, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING:

J U D G M E N T

Raja Vijayaraghavan V, J.

The petitioners in these writ petitions state that they are aspirants for the post of "Melshanthi" at the Sabarimala–Malikappuram Temple. According to them, the notification issued by the respondents prescribes that candidates applying for the post of "Melshanthi" for the Malayalam Era 1201 (M.E.)

shall be between 35 and 58 years of age.

2. The petitioner in W.P.(C) No. 35990 of 2025 asserts that his date of birth is 25.05.1968, while the petitioner in W.P.(C) No. 36150 of 2025 asserts that his date of birth is 20.05.1968, as evidenced by Ext. P2. On this basis, they contend that they are fully eligible to apply for the post.

3. The petitioners further aver that, while expecting to be called for an interview, they were informed that their applications had been rejected during a Vigilance enquiry conducted by the Assistant Secretary. The rejection was on the ground that, as of October 2026, they would have completed 58 years of age, thereby exceeding the upper age limit. The rejection memo dated

10.09.2025 has been produced before this Court as Ext. P3.

4. According to the petitioners, they were only 57 years of age on the date of their applications, and therefore the decision of the 1st respondent to reject their applications by invoking Clause 2 of the conditions in Ext. P1 notification is arbitrary and without justification. They also contend that the stipulation in Clause 2 is illegal. It is on these assertions that these writ petitions are filed, seeking similar reliefs. The reliefs sought for by the petitioner in WP(C) No.35990 of 2025 are as follows:

“(i) To call for the records leading to Ext. P3 and P4 and to issue a writ of Certiorari or other appropriate writ, order or direction quashing Ext.P3 and P4 orders.

(ii) To issue a writ of Certiorari or other appropriate writ, order or direction Clause 2 of the conditions mentioned Ext.P1 to the extent it prescribes for a cut off age for the completion of the tenure of Melsanthi at Sabarimala.

(iii) To issue a writ of Mandamus or other appropriate writ, order or direction, declaring that the Clause 2 the condition mentioned in Ext.P1 notification prescribing the age limit for competition of servi