Kerala HC asks Devaswom Board to avoid halal-marked jaggery at Sabarimala

The Kerala High Court has directed the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) to exercise caution while procuring ingredients for prasadam at Sabarimala, after a devotee objected to the use of 'halal-certified' jaggery in Aravana and Appam. The division bench of Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice K.V. Jayakumar disposed of a 2021 petition by SJR Kumar, who argued that halal certification indicated preparation according to another community's beliefs and was unsuitable as a 'sattvic' offering. The court noted that the jaggery supplied by Vardhan Agro Processing Limited carried a halal mark because the Maharashtra-based manufacturer exported to Gulf countries.

The court found no quality issue with the jaggery, noting that test reports showed it was satisfactory and contained no unsuitable substance. The TDB informed the court that the jaggery was procured through e-tender, and that the halal declaration was for export purposes. The court directed the board to incorporate conditions in future e-tender documents to ensure that supplies comply with both quality standards and religious customs at the temple. As of November 2021, 2.11 lakh kilogrammes of jaggery was in stock at Sannidhanam, according to the TDB.