HYDERABAD: Justice Laxmi Narayana Alishetty of the Telangana High Court on Friday granted a stay on all proceedings arising from an Endowment Tribunal order dated February 21, 2025. The order directs the Endowments commissioner to appoint a regular executive officer, designating the assistant commissioner as the custodian of the temple until a permanent officer is appointed.
The Tribunal’s orders came during the hearing of a Civil Miscellaneous Appeal filed by Sashikala and four others seeking recognition as members of the family of the founder of the Bhagyalakshmi temple abutting the Charminar.
The petitioners argued that Mahant Ramchandra Das was the original founder of the temple. Following his death, his disciple (chela) and adopted son, Rajmohan Das, was recognised as his successor by the Assistant Commissioner of Endowments through proceedings dated December 30, 1991. Subsequently, Rajmohan Das was declared the founder member of the temple on December 17, 1996. Since these orders were never challenged, they became final. After Rajmohan Das passed away in 1998, a dispute over the control of the temple arose primarily between the families of Mahant Manohar Das and Ramchandra Das.
The tribunal, in its final decision on February 21, had ordered the appointment of a regular executive officer, designating the assistant commissioner as the interim custodian of the temple.
On Friday, senior counsel appearing for the petitioners contended that the Tribunal exceeded its jurisdiction by issuing directions beyond the issues framed.
Senior counsel further cited a previous ruling by the Tribunal in OA No. 517 of 2011, dated July 2, 2018, which established that the Tribunal lacked appellate authority to overturn decisions made by the Assistant Commissioner of Endowments. In light of these arguments, the petitioners sought a stay on the Tribunal’s order.
The Government Pleader for Endowments, representing the respondents — Assistant Commissioner and the Regional Joint Commissioner of Endowments, Multi Zone-III, Hyderabad — sought time to obtain instructions on the matter. The court, while adjourning the case to March 21, 2025, granted a stay on all further proceedings related to the Tribunal’s order dated February 21, 2025.