News Brief
Kerala Government Audits Flag Financial Discrepancies At Guruvayur Devaswom: Report
Guruvayur Temple in Kerala (Pic: X)
Successive government audits of the Guruvayur Devaswom in Kerala for 2019–20 and 2020–21 have exposed serious lapses in financial management, record keeping, and the physical verification of temple valuables, including gold and silver, according to a PTI report.
The reports also highlighted that the Devaswom’s decisions after July 2012 were not available for scrutiny.
According to the audit findings, the temple management had in 2015 decided that its decisions need not be submitted for audit.
The 2019–20 audit report pointed to stark inconsistencies between the budgeted and audited statements of revenue and expenditure, citing differences under several heads such as investments, donations, taxes, and capital receipts.
It also observed that physical verification of temple valuables was not being conducted in accordance with the Guruvayur Devaswom Rules, 1980, which require an annual inspection by the management committee and submission of a detailed report to the Devaswom Commissioner.
However, auditors claimed that no such inspection had been undertaken since the rules came into effect. When documents relating to the valuables were sought in 2019, they were allegedly not provided.
The 2020–21 audit revealed that temple expenditure exceeded income threefold, a gap attributed to reduced revenues during the pandemic.
It said the combined expenditure of Devaswom-run establishments, including resthouses, was around Rs 25 crore higher than their earnings.
While acknowledging that the temple is not intended to operate for profit, the report urged the Guruvayur Devaswom to strengthen its financial discipline and regulatory framework to ensure accountability and transparency in its administration.
