The Kerala High Court on Wednesday held that temple priesthood cannot be restricted to caste or lineage, and that such a restriction cannot be termed an essential religious practice, The News Minute reported.

A division bench of Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and KV Jayakumar was hearing a petition by the Akhila Kerala Thanthri Samajam challenging the accreditation and recognition of certain institutions as Thanthra Vidyalayas by the Travancore Devaswom Board and the Kerala Devaswom Recruitment Board, Live Law reported.

Thanthris are the chief priests and spiritual heads of Hindu temples in Kerala and are responsible for performing key rituals and setting the rules for daily temple functions.

The Akhila Kerala Thanthri Samajamis is a registered body of around 300 traditional

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