Tirupati: Petitions filed against jumbo TTD board

Amaravati/Tirupati: Two petitions were filed in Andhra Pradesh High Court TDP and BJP questioning the constitution of a jumbo trust board for Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) by the state government.

The court on Monday admitted a public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed by an advocate Y Balaji on behalf of TDP's Kalyanadurgam in-charge Madineni Uma Maheshwara Naidu while BJP senior leader and state party spokesperson G Bhanu Prakash Reddy filed another PIL on the issue.

The petition by Uma Maheswara Naidu challenged the order (GO Rt No 569 dated September 15) issued by the state government in nominating as many as 52 special invitees to the TTD trust board.

The petitioner wondered how could so many special invitees could be appointed by giving them all the privileges on par with regular members of the TTD Trust Board regarding darshan as well the tenure.

He contended that the GO was illegal, arbitrary and also contrary to the Section 96 of Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Acts, 1987, and also in violation of Article 25 of the Constitution of India.

The petitioner said the decision would cause hardship and hurdle to have a darshan to the common public/devotees. He urged the High Court to intervene in the matter and ask the government to suspend the GO. Would it not be a Herculean task to manage the temple affairs, the petitioner asked.

Bhanu Prakash Reddy in his petition said that the government first issued an order for appointment of two persons as special invitees of TTD trust board and on the same day issued an order appointing 50 more as. He contended that it is more than the permissible level and against relevant Acts.

It may be noted that the opposition parties, including BJP, Congress and the communist parties too slammed the government for appointing a huge number of special invitees to TTD trust board and observed that it would in no way be beneficial to the pilgrims or the employees but only for the sake of rehabilitation of more number of ruling party leaders.

They, in one voice, demanded the withdrawal of the GOs to avoid burden on the TTD and for its smooth functioning.