Devaswom Board to revise around 20 appointments; board committed to address employees' grievances, says president

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Devaswom Board president K Jayakumar said the complaints raised in connection with the transfer of board employees will be solved and the existing order will be reviewed. He was talking to the media after a board meeting held in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday. He said the board intends to move forward by considering the legitimate demands of employees and that most of the complaints received have already been resolved. Based on the grievances raised, around 20 appointments will be revised. He also said that appointments to some temples had not been sought by employees.

The major complaints were related to junior employees being given preference over senior staff. He said it was unfair to overlook seniority and grant preferred postings to junior employees, describing it as an issue of common sense. Naturally, such decisions would lead to dissatisfaction and complaints among employees, he added.
According to him, the discrepancies were corrected after hours of discussions while adhering to established norms. A considerable amount of time had to be spent on a single transfer process,’ he remarked.

Responding to questions regarding Shyam Prakash, who has been at the centre of controversies, Jayakumar said the board currently has no other allegations against him. However, he added that the board remains open to examining any new complaints that may arise.

He is not our employee presently. How can someone be removed merely because the police questioned him in connection with a case? asked Jayakumar. He clarified that action would be warranted only if there is a vigilance case or if vigilance clearance is lacking. The board, he said, has considered only those with vigilance clearance.

While reports suggest that Shyam Prakash was questioned by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), Jayakumar said he was unaware of the matter. He further stated that all employees are treated equally by the board, irrespective of their political affiliations, and that addressing their grievances is the board's responsibility. The board is not claiming to have resolved every issue completely,’ he said.