JUDGMENT

The above writ petition is filed with following prayers:

a) “Issue a writ of mandamus or any other writ, order or direction, directing the respondents 2 to 6 to register the temple of the petitioner under Kerala Captive Elephants (Management and Maintenance) Rules, 2012 , pursuant to application evidenced by Ext. P3, P9 and P10; b) To declare that the respondents 2 to 6 are duty bound to grant permission to petitioner to conduct the elephant procession in connection with the ensuing Shivarathri festival, as the petitioner had already applied for registration as is evident from Ext.P3, P9 and P10;

c) Issue a writ of mandamus or any other writ, order or direction, directing the respondents 2 to 6 to grant permission to the petitioner to conduct elephant procession in the ensuing Shivarathri festival expeditiously;

d) Issue a writ of mandamus or any other writ, order or direction, directing the 2nd respondent to consider and pass orders on Ext. P8 expeditiously at any rate before 11.02.2026;

e) Direction to 2nd and 4th respondents to produce entire files bearing No. KFDHQ/10925/2025-CWW/WL and KFDDO/ 7774/ 2025-DFOSFKKD/E before this Hon’ble Court to substantiate the case of th