No Essential Religious Practice Mandates Temple Priest to Belong to a Particular Caste or Lineage; ‘Thanthra Vidyalayas’ Approved: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court on October 22, 2025, dismissed a writ petition filed by the Akhila Kerala Thanthri Samajam (AKTS) challenging the accreditation and recognition granted to certain institutions known as Thanthra Vidyalayas by the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) and the Kerala Devaswom Recruitment Board (KDRB). The petition also questioned notifications prescribing certificates from these recognised institutions as a qualification for appointment of part-time shanthis (temple priests) in various temples…