HC permits continuation of repair works on gold-plated panels at Sabarimala

The Kerala High Court on Monday allowed repair works on the gold plating of the Dwarapalaka idols at the Sabarimala temple.

The court said the work may continue as long as it follows due legal procedures. However, it strongly deprecated the removal of gold plating without notifying the Special Commissioner and expressed serious discontent that the gold-cladded plates were handed over without a precise inventory of their gold content.

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A Division Bench comprising Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V. and Justice K.V. Jayakumar, while considering a suo motu petition initiated on the basis of a report submitted by the Special Commissioner, permitted Smart Creations, a Chennai-based concern, to continue the repair works on the Dwarapalaka idols and directed that the items be returned immediately upon completion.

The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) sought permission to complete the repairs, submitting that out of the 12 pieces, 4 pieces showing no fading had already undergone lacquer coating and could be safely taken back.

Another 4 pieces, already polished, had been transported before undergoing lacquer coating, but transporting them again without the coating posed a risk of damage to the gold. Those items would be sent only after the lacquer process was completed, it said.

“As further records are awaited and the gold is presently in liquid form, we find it necessary to direct Smart Creations to complete the process already underway. No purpose would be served by retaining the Dwarapalakas with the 8th respondent. Nevertheless, we strongly deprecate the removal of gold plating without notifying the Special Commissioner and express our strong discontent that the gold-cladded plates were handed over without a precise inventory of the gold content. We direct the additional 8th respondent to complete the pending work forthwith, and upon completion, the items shall be immediately transported back to Sabarimala,” the court observed.

Earlier, the court had ordered an immediate halt to the ongoing repairs at Smart Creations and directed that the items be re-transported to the Sannidhanam. It was submitted that the repairs had commenced on 9 September 2025, during which the lacquer coating of 12 items was removed and some of them polished. Due to technical and practical constraints, transporting the gold in liquid form, kept in cyanide solution, was risky and likely to cause loss, it was argued.

Subsequently, the court suo motu impleaded Potty and Smart Creations and sought production of all records relating to the repairs. It also directed the Superintendent of Police, Chief Vigilance, and the Security Officer (5th respondent) to seize all records concerning the gold-plating and cladding of the Dwarapalakas, door lintel, door panel, Lakshmi Roopam and Kamanam from the date of the original cladding.