TRIPURANENI HANUMAN CHOWDARY Vs. GOVERNMENT OF ANDHRA PRADESH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Mr. Vedula Srinivas, learned Senior Counsel appears as amicus curiae.

(2.) The petitioner claims to be an Engineering Graduate (Telecommunication) and has retired as Chairman and Managing Director of Vidhesh Sanchar Nigam Limited. The petitioner claims to have authored many articles of public interest both in Telugu and English and various articles were published in various journals. The petitioner claims to be the Chairman of 'Pragna Bharati', an intellectual think tank Association and also publisher of monthly journal of 'Bharatiya Pragna'. In paragraph 4 of the affidavit, it has been averred that the petitioner is actively involved in organization, development, construction and protection of ancient temples in various districts. It is the case of the petitioner that the State is prohibited from providing any financial assistance to support any religion or religious activities. The petitioner therefore in this Writ Petition has assailed various Government Orders by which grant-in-aid was accorded to the implementation of Scheme of Repairs, Maintenance and Protection of Institutions belonging to Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Zorastrians (Parsis). Admittedly, grants have been sanctioned and disbursed in the year 2009. The reliefs sought in this Writ Petition filed as Public Interest Litigation are extracted below for the facility of reference.

(3.) This Court had heard the learned counsel for the petitioner on 5/2/2024 and thereafter, requested Mr. Vedula Srinivas, learned Senior Counsel, to assist this Court as amicus curiae.