Audit Report on Global Ayyappa Sangamam Contains Flaws, Kerala HC to Get Revised Version
Kerala’s Travancore Devaswom Board forms task force to rectify discrepancies in high court-submitted audit report.
The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has acknowledged flaws in the audit report on the Global Ayyappa Sangamam submitted to the Kerala High Court. President K. Jayakumar said the discrepancies arose due to procedural lapses and not the auditor’s fault, adding that a task force has been formed to correct errors before a final submission on February 26.
Jayakumar explained that the report was submitted hastily to meet court deadlines and without an accompanying affidavit. “Normally, auditors raise queries during an audit, which the client responds to. In our case, some replies were delayed, and major objections were left unresolved,” he said, admitting the Board’s accountability for the mistakes.
The President highlighted multiple causes for discrepancies, including incomplete physical verification of bills and unrecorded entries in the assets register. “The task force, comprising the Devaswom Commissioner, Accounts Officer, and Chief Engineer, will coordinate with the auditor to rectify these anomalies on a war footing,” Jayakumar added.
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The report reportedly overstated certain figures, such as Rs 8 lakh payments to Nandagovindam Bhajans and breakfast arrangements for 4,000 attendees, which were based on incorrect documents. The Board intends to verify and correct these claims to present an accurate account.
Financially, the Sangamam’s approved budget was Rs 4.99 crore, while bills submitted by the event management agency IIMC and others total Rs 7.11 crore. The Board has clarified that no additional payments will be made beyond the funds already recouped from advance payments and sponsorships, including Rs 2.85 crore received and Rs 1 crore expected from the Adani Group.
Jayakumar assured that the Board will not dip into its own funds at present and is actively seeking additional sponsorships to meet the remaining expenses. The task force’s review aims to ensure transparency and compliance before the final report reaches the High Court.
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