Kerala HC overturns govt order, restores elected Milma Board
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Kochi: The Kerala High Court has ordered the reinstatement of the elected board of the Milma Thiruvananthapuram Regional Co-operative Milk Producers' Union, overturning the state government's decision to dissolve it over alleged irregularities in the supply of ghee to Sabarimala.
A Division Bench of Justices Dr A.K. Jayasankaran Nambiar and A.K. Preetha on Wednesday set aside the July 25 order issued by the Director of Dairy Development, which had dissolved the board and appointed an administrative committee in its place.
The court allowed an appeal filed by the Union President and other office-bearers against a single judge's earlier decision refusing to intervene in the government's action. The verdict effectively nullifies the administrative arrangement and restores the elected board with immediate effect.
The board's dissolution had followed allegations of irregularities in the supply and distribution of ghee to the Sabarimala temple.
Milma had earlier rejected allegations of lapses in the supply. On August 3, the federation maintained that the ghee supplied met prescribed quality standards and had undergone stringent checks before dispatch.
Milma Chairman K.S. Mani had said the product was transported in sealed 15-kg tins, leaving no scope for tampering in transit. He also maintained that the federation had received no official complaint from the Devaswom authorities regarding its quality and had been paid in full for the consignment.
The High Court's ruling is a setback to the Satheesan-led government, which had initiated action against the elected board.
With IANS inputs