Kochi | The Kerala High Court has noted that the sale of synthetic kumkum to Sabarimala devotees was continuing unabated, despite its directions prohibiting it, and said that it cannot be permitted under any circumstances.

A bench of justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and K V Jayakumar said that prima facie the principal distributor appears to be a firm known as 'Ideal Enterprises' and issued notice to it.

Besides the firm, the court also issued notice to a lab -- Kerala Enviro Infrastructure Ltd -- which has allegedly issued certificates to various vendors selling kumkum distributed by Ideal Enterprises.

The court has sought responses from both the firm and the lab before the next date of hearing on December 5.

The order came after the Erumeli Grama Panchayat told the court that sale of synthetic kumkum was being carried out extensively in its area and that it was being distributed by Ideal Enterprises.

The panchayat said that it was not possible to ascertain whether the kumkum so distributed was sourced from natural ingredients.

Considering the submissions, the bench said, "we find that, in order to circumvent the ban imposed by this court, the sale of kumkum continues unabated.

"Under no circumstances can the same be permitted. Prima facie, it appears that the principal distributor is the firm known as 'Ideal Enterprises'."

The court by its separate orders on November 7 and November 12 made it explicit that under no circumstances shall sellers be permitted to manufacture, distribute, or sell chemically manufactured or synthetic kumkum to devotees within the Sannidhanam area in Sabarimala and the nearby panchayats.