HYDERABAD: Finding fault with the GO issued by the Andhra Pradesh government directing the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) to release Rs 50 lakh fund to the Hindu Dharma Parirakshana Trust (HDPT) every month, a division bench of the Hyderabad High Court on Tuesday stayed further payments to the Trust by the TTD which was being done at the instance of the State government.
The bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice Shameem Akther was dealing with a PIL filed by P Naveen Kumar Reddy of Chittoor district who submitted that the AP government issued GO Ms No 65 dated Feb 8, 2017 directing the TTD to pay Rs 50 lakh every month to the private trust headed by a former officer who was closely associated with the TTD. He urged the court to set aside the impugned GO.
The bench wondered how the TTD could give its money to a private trust that too at the instance of the State government which had no role to play in the funds of TTD.
While staying all further payments, the bench issued notices to the respondents - principal secretary to revenue (endowments), TTD executive officer and the trust chairman asking them to explain the issues raised in the PIL case.