Kerala High Court rejects temple’s late registration plea for elephant procession
The court said neither it nor Kerala’s government could extend a Supreme Court deadline for temples seeking to register under captive elephant rules.
The Kerala High Court has rejected a request by Sree Manathala Shiva-Parvathi Temple to register late and hold an elephant procession at its festival, The Hindu reported. The court said neither it nor Kerala’s government could extend a registration deadline set by India’s Supreme Court for temples and devaswoms under the state’s captive elephant rules.
The temple’s trustee and president had asked the High Court to direct its registration with a District Committee and permit the procession. Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas said that, without an extension from the Supreme Court, it would be improper even to direct officials to consider an application for more time, according to The Hindu. LiveLaw reported that the court dismissed the petition.
Why the temple missed the elephant procession deadline
The Supreme Court directed temples and devaswoms to register with the District Committee within six weeks of August 18, 2015. The registration requirement forms part of oversight under the Kerala Captive Elephant (Management and Maintenance) Rules, 2012. The High Court said the deadline served a purpose in making that oversight effective, The Hindu reported.
The petitioners said the temple had paraded elephants for years, including after the rules took effect. They acknowledged missing the registration period and a later opportunity under a 2022 government order. They argued that the Supreme Court had directed implementation of the rules without imposing a strict time limit, and asked for sympathetic consideration of their request, The Hindu reported.
The temple also said it had applied to Kerala’s forests minister for registration but was refused. The Assistant Conservator of Forests told the court that the temple had not applied despite several opportunities. The Hindu reported the official’s figure of 84 applications received during an extended period; LiveLaw separately reported 320 registrations by temples and devaswoms in Malappuram within the applicable timelines. The reports describe different measures, so those figures should not be treated as a single count.
What the High Court’s decision means for the request
The ruling leaves the temple without the late registration it sought through this petition. The High Court’s reasoning turns on who can change the Supreme Court’s timetable: it said a High Court direction or state government decision could not supply an extension that the Supreme Court had not granted. LiveLaw identified the case as Ravi E. and another v. State of Kerala and others, W.P.(C) No. 29289 of 2026.
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Sources and context
- Temple plea for elephant procession: Kerala HC says SC-fixed registration deadline can’t be extended by HC or govtThe Hindu
- Captive Elephant Rules | Govt Or HC Can't Extend Timeline Set By Supreme Court For Temples To Register : Kerala High CourtLiveLaw
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.