M. VENKATESWARLU Vs. STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner, who expresses religious faith as a devotee of the 4th respondent temple, has filed the present writ petition.

(2.) The case of the petitioner is that the 1st respondent had issued G.O.Rt.No.944 Revenue (Endowments.II) Department, dated 11.12.2020, constituting a Trust Board for the 4th respondent temple. The petitioner challenges the constitution of the Trust Board on the ground that the members of the Trust Board, who are arrayed as respondent Nos.5 to 13, were appointed on the recommendation of the constituency in charge of the ruling party. The petitioner submits that such an appointment on the basis of recommendations of political leaders is unsustainable and goes against the spirit of the Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Appointment of Trustees Rules, 1987.

(3.) The petitioner also challenges the impugned G.O. on the ground that the procedure that needs to be followed for appointment of such Trust Board, under the Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Appointment of Trustees Rules, 1987, (hereinafter referred to as the Rules ) has not been followed including publication of the notification calling for applications for the post of Trustees in the newspapers.