Kerala temple panel flags financial irregularities, demands independent audit

An advisory panel at a major Shiva temple in Ernakulam has alleged financial irregularities in the handling of festival accounts by a Devaswom Board official, prompting calls for an independent investigation into the matter. The committee's concerns centre on potential accounting lapses related to festival-related expenditures and fund management under the officer's supervision. The Devaswom Board manages several temples across Kerala and oversees their administrative and financial operations. In response to the allegations, the advisory panel has formally requested that an independent audit be conducted to examine the temple's festival accounts and clarify the nature of the reported discrepancies. The move reflects growing scrutiny of financial oversight at Kerala's temple institutions, where accountability mechanisms have periodically come under public examination. Temple authorities have not yet issued a formal statement regarding the audit request or the specific allegations raised by the panel.