Milma Board Restored as Kerala High Court Quashes State Dissolution

The Kerala High Court has reversed a major administrative decision by ordering the immediate reinstatement of the Milma Thiruvananthapuram Regional Cooperative Milk Producers Union board. The court’s Wednesday ruling invalidated the state government’s directive to disband the elected committee and replace it with an interim administrative team.

A division bench comprising Justice Dr. A. Jayashankar Nair and Justice A.K. Preetha struck down the Dairy Development Department’s July 25 notification. The earlier order had dissolved the board following allegations of procedural lapses, including controversies linked to ghee provisioning at the Sabarimala shrine.

The judicial intervention came in response to an appeal lodged by union officials against a single judge’s refusal to interfere in the government’s dissolution order. The higher bench agreed to hear the matter and subsequently nullified the administrative action.

As a result of the judgment, the democratically elected board will resume its functions, effectively undoing the government’s attempt to install a centrally appointed committee. The initial dissolution was precipitated by scrutiny over the temple’s ghee distribution mechanism.

Milma management had consistently maintained that the cooperative fulfilled all its obligations without compromise. In a public statement on August 3, the federation affirmed that the ghee supplied to Sabarimala met all premium quality parameters.

Chairman K.S. Mani detailed that comprehensive quality audits were conducted prior to shipment. He noted that the products were securely enclosed in 15-kilogram airtight containers, eliminating any possibility of adulteration during transportation.

The cooperative also confirmed that complete payment had been processed and no official objections regarding product standards were received from the Devasthanam administration. Mani cautioned that any post-delivery substitution with lower-grade items would invite severe legal repercussions.

The high court’s decision represents a substantial legal victory for the cooperative and a clear repudiation of the state government’s administrative overreach, ensuring the continuity of the board’s elected mandate.