Sabarimala stock register resembles that of a roadside vendors: Kerala HC orders digital inventory
Kochi: The Kerala High Court has sharply criticized the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) for maintaining the inventory stock register of the Sabarimala temple in a haphazard and unsatisfactory manner, comparing it to the records maintained by a roadside betel shop owner.
A Division Bench comprising Justices V. Raja Vijayaraghavan and K. V. Jayakumar made the observation while considering a report submitted by the TDB seeking approval for the Sabarimala development project.
After examining the stock register, the court found that it lacked essential details such as purchase quantities, current stock position, deployment location and the maintenance history of assets. The judges noted that entries relating to 93 categories of items—including office tables, office chairs, table covers, plastic buckets, computer chairs and several other movable assets—had been recorded without proper classification, making it impossible to determine the exact quantity or condition of important items such as steel cots.
Expressing dissatisfaction over the state of record-keeping, the High Court directed the Travancore Devaswom Board to establish a comprehensive digital inventory management system before the upcoming Sabarimala pilgrimage season. The system should include fixed asset registers, stock registers, dead stock registers and physical verification reports, and should be integrated with the Board's ongoing enterprise digital transformation programme.
During the hearing, the TDB informed the court that it plans to procure 1,000 double-decker mild steel cots for staff accommodation. According to the Board, the existing stock of 3,167 cots is insufficient, with a projected shortfall of 1,752 cots.
The High Court also directed the Chief Engineer and the Executive Engineer of the Sabarimala Development Project to ensure that the procurement process strictly complies with all public procurement norms, technical specifications and the Store Purchase Manual while finalising the purchase.