HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad High Court on Friday issued notices to the authorities of Telangana endowments department for filing counter affidavit on the petition alleging irregularities with regard to appointment of board of trustees for Sri Ganesh Temple situated near Secunderabad railway station. The Court also issued notices to other respondents who included Secunderabad Cantonment MLA G Sayanna, temple chairman PL Nagesh and other members to respond on the issue.
Justice M S Ramachandra Rao was dealing with a petition by P Sharath Kumar of the city seeking to declare the entire selection of the board of trustees as well as election of the chairman of Ganesh temple as null and void.Petitioner’s counsel Sripada Prabhakar pointed out that the persons who have no aptitude, past record of managing any temple or knowledge about the Hindu religion were selected as trustees. In fact, the entire selection was done at the instance of the Cantonment MLA.
The persons selected were the close followers of the said MLA. The entire selection process was done in violation of the rules of the Endowment Act, he noted.The counsel further pointed out that the trustees who administered oath of office on September 2 this year, also elected the chairman on the same day.
The period of 10 days prescribed in the Rules was not adhered to. As per Rules, chairman should be elected by a special meeting convened by the department authorities, he added.Taking these submissions into consideration, the judge directed the respondents to place all details before the court and adjourned the case by two weeks.