Kerala High Court directs analysis of KumKum supplied to Sabarimala Temple

The Kerala High Court has constitute a team comprising the Drugs Inspector, Zone-I, Kottayam; the Drugs Inspector, Zone-I, Pathanamthitta; and Deputy Controller (Flying Squad), Legal Metrology, Kottayam, to immediately inspect the premises of Puthenpurackal Coir Mart and to draw adequate samples of the KumKum stored therein in accordance with the prescribed procedure.

"There will be a direction to the competent authorities under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and the Legal Metrology Department to ensure that unlabelled and unpackaged KumKum is not sold in violation of the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, the Cosmetics Rules, 2020, and BIS Standard IS:10999", the High Court has directed.

Notably, the Environmental Engineer, Kerala State Pollution Control Board, Pathanamthitta has been directed to conduct routine inspections and place before the High Court the analysis report obtained in respect of the samples collected pursuant to its earlier directions.

A counter affidavit was filed before the high Court by one Ideal Enterprises which stated that it is primarily engaged in the business of raincoats and upon learning of a requirement for organic KumKum, he contacted KJK Traders, Mumbai, from whom he claimed to have purchased approximately 3 tonnes of KumKum.

The material so purchased was thereafter handed over to one Sri. P. U. Ashraf, who runs an establishment by the name “Puthenpurackal Coirmart” at Erumeli. High Court was further told that the KumKum purchased is manufactured using maize starch, food-grade colours, and natural rose aroma, and is not synthetic. Certain laboratory reports of Intertek were also produced before high Court.

"On examining the bills produced, we find that the KumKum purchased by the 33rd respondent from KJK Traders was supplied in 50 kg bags. The analysis report produced by the respondent, purportedly issued by Intertek, pertains only to small sealed packets of Green, Pink, Yellow, Orange, and Blue “Rang Barse Holi Colours”. It does not appear to us that the said laboratory report has any connection with, or bears any relevance to, the wholesale sacks delivered to the 33rd respondent by KJK Traders. Even otherwise, insofar as the analysis report issued by the 34th respondent is concerned, the parameters tested relate exclusively to the category “Pollution and Environment [Waste Water (Effluents/Sewage)]”, which is wholly irrelevant and inapplicable to the testing of KumKum intended for direct application on the human body", the High Court found.

From photographs placed before the high Court, it was evident that most of the vendors are selling KumKum kept openly in large vessels, sacks, and bags. "Under Rule 34 of the Cosmetics Rules, 2020, every cosmetic must display, on both the inner and outer labels, the name and full address of the manufacturer, the list of ingredients, batch number, manufacturing date, expiry date, and a declaration of conformity with applicable BIS Standards. Evidence of compliance with IS:10999 is also mandatory. The sale of unlabelled and unpackaged KumKum is therefore in direct violation of the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, the Cosmetics Rules, 2020, and BIS Standard IS:10999", the bench further noted.

Moreover, the counsel for Erumeli Grama Panchayat submitted before court that, apart from the indiscriminate sale of KumKum by various individuals, several pilgrims from outside the State are also carrying KumKum with them.

In this regard, the High Court has asked the local authority to make earnest efforts to sensitise and educate the pilgrims by authorising Health Inspectors and other officers to advise them against carrying synthetic KumKum and against washing it into the Valiyathodu and Manimala rivers.

Case Title: IN THE MATTER OF TRAVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD - SABARIMALA SPECIAL COMMISSIONER REPORT

Order Date: December 10, 2025

Bench: Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and K.V. Jayakumar