Sabarimala Melsanthi appointment; applicants must be ‘Malayali Brahmins’, petitions against eligibility criteria will be heard on Saturday

PATHANAMTHITTA: The High Court will hold a special sitting tomorrow on the petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the notification published by the Travancore Devaswom Board for the appointment of Chief priest (Melsanthi) to the Sabarimala-Malikappuram temples. A two-member Devaswom bench comprising Justice Anil K Narendran and Justice PG Ajith Kumar is hearing the case.

The notification states that only Malayali Brahmins born in Kerala can apply for the post of Chief priest (Melsanthi) in Sabarimala and Malikappuram temples. The petitions that states that this is a violation of the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution, are being heard tomorrow.