At the Kerala High Court on Friday morning, the Bench led by Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice K.V. Jayakumar took up the Sabarimala Special Commissioner’s report on crowd control and security for the Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season 2025-26. The packed courtroom reflected the seriousness around safety at Sannidhanam, especially during the first week of December when lakhs of devotees gather.
Background
The matter stemmed from Suo Motu proceedings initiated by the High Court to scrutinize whether arrangements this year were adequate, given the “historical background of certain grave incidents” linked to this period. The court noted public sensitivity around the anniversary of past tragedies, making vigilance essential.
The report presented by the Additional Director General of Police, who also serves as Chief Coordinator at Sabarimala, laid out everything from deployment patterns and surveillance cameras to intelligence coordination and how the flow of pilgrims will be controlled on the hill shrine paths.
Court’s Observations
After going through the document line by line, the court found the plan sufficiently robust.
“The bench observed, ‘We find the report to be satisfactory, comprehensive, and well-thought-out’,” while also adding that nothing should be taken lightly.
The judges reminded the police leadership that security at Sannidhanam often becomes a “zero-error” job. As one court officer whispered to me after the hearing, this is a time when “even a small gap can create chaos.”
The court emphasized that the Chief Coordinator must ensure “no stone is left unturned in strengthening the security architecture” and that all involved agencies remain in seamless communication at all times.
Decision
Accepting the report for now, the High Court ordered continued monitoring of the situation and directed authorities to keep heightened alertness throughout this critical window. The matter will be reviewed again on December 17, 2025. With that, the court passed its order and rose for the day.
Case Title:- Suo Motu v State of Kerala
Case No:- SSCR No. 37 of 2025
