TTD to discuss archaka retirement issue on Jan 8

Tirupati: The TTD Trust Board which is slated to meet in Tirumala on January 8 will discuss the crucial archaka retirement issue in the wake of the High Court setting aside TTD decision to retire the hereditary archakas working in TTD temples on attainment of 65 years. 

The two retired hereditary archakas AB Seshadri and MG Murali worked in TTD Sri Padmavathi Ammavari temple, Tiruchanur approached the High Court seeking direction to set aside the TTD Trust Board resolution passed in its meeting held in May 16 last year and later the proceedings issued by TTD EO in June for the superannuation of the archakas working in TTD temples following the Trust Board resolution. 

EO Anil Kumar Singhal said that the TTD will discuss the High Court verdict against the retirement of archakas for taking a decision that is to go in for an appeal or to implement it. 

EO speaking to the media in Tirumala after the monthly ‘Dial your EO’ programme and said that the TTD will also discuss the case of two other archakas Karthik and Abhishek working in the same Tiruchanur temple, who immediately after the Court setting aside the retirement of archakas approached the High Court obtained a direction to TTD to maintain status quo. 

As the TTD had already appointed archakas in the place of those retired on attainment of 65 years, the TTD has to tread cautiously in accommodating the retired archakas so as to not to affect those working as archakas, he observed. 

He declined to say further on the ground that it will be sub judice and added the board will decide on taking up suitable steps on the archaka issue duly taking into account of the Court orders in the two cases. 

Sources, however, said that the two archakas Karthik and Abhishek issue is different from the case of hereditary archakas working in Tiruchanur temple, as the two engaged as priests through a society to do religious duties in the shrine. 

Further, accommodating the two hereditary archakas Murali and Seshadri is not difficult to TTD if it is keen on settling the issue amicably, by transferring any two of the 7 regular archakas working for long in   Tiruchanur temple to any one of the TTD temples in Tirupati area where there is need. 

But, TTD fears that reinstating the hereditary archakas will open the flood gates, forcing TTD to take all the archakas retired on attaining 65 years in the temples including the famed Tirumala temple, citing AV Ramana Deekshithulu, former chief priest of Tirumala temple, who applied for his reinstatement as Tirumala temple chief priest on December 14, a day after the High Court setting aside the retirement of temple archakas.
 
Thus, TTD is now in a predicament following the High Court verdict on the retirement of temple archakas.