The Kerala High Court has raised concerns about financial discrepancies in the income and expenditure records of the Sabarimala Global Ayyappa Meet. The court highlighted irregularities suggesting significant financial mismanagement and lack of procedural adherence. Notably, the event held at Pamba last year faced issues like unaccounted construction contracts and discrepancies in billed materials.
The audit report presented in court revealed various inconsistencies, including the unexplained absence of 50 purchased beds out of 150 for the event. Additionally, Rs 2 crore borrowed from the Devaswom Board remains unpaid. The court emphasized lapses in financial management and procedural compliance, especially in the GST component of the accounts.
Moreover, the court pointed out discrepancies in the GST filings, where the Board’s entitled input tax credit of Rs 1.07 crore was not fully reflected. Concerns were also raised about the lack of clarity on the proper crediting of Rs 61 lakh and the execution of billed cabling works at the event venue. The Devaswom Board has been directed to provide a detailed explanation for the flagged irregularities.
