APHC010469392011 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3333] WEDNESDAY, THE 9th DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2026 PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SMT JUSTICE V.SUJATHA WRIT PETITION NO: 5758/2011 Between: 1. POTLA MADHAVA RAO, S/O. BHADRAIAH ADVOCATE R/O. 9-2- 115/2, OLD CLUB ROAD, NEAR LAKSHMI LODGE, ...PETITIONER AND 1. TIRUMALA TIRUPATI DEVASTHANAMS, Reptd. by its Executive Officer Tirupati, Chittoor District. ...RESPONDENT Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed therewith, the High Court may be pleased to to issue any appropriate Writ, Order or direction, preferably a Writ in the nature of Mandamus, declaring the Proceedings bearing Roc. No. P3/48/AEO(ARJ)/TML/2011 dated 19/02/2011 issued by the Respondent herein as being illegal, arbitrary and violative of Articles 14, 21, 25 and 26 of the Constitution of India and to set aside the said proceedings; IA NO: 1 OF 2011(WPMP 7164 OF 2011 Petition under Section 151 CPC praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed in support of the petition, the High Court may be pleased to suspend the operation of the Proceedings bearing Roc. No. P3/48/AEO(ARJ)/TML/2011 dated 19/02/2011 issued by the Respondent herein by permitting the Petitioner to perform Arjitha Sevas of "Thomala" and 2 VS,J W.P.No.5758 of 2011 "Archana" to Lord Sri Venkateswara, Tirumala, on the dates booked by the Petitioner and stated in the Annexure to the Writ Petition, pending disposal of the abvoe Writ Petition. Counsel for the Petitioner: 1. Dr CHALLA SRINIVASA REDDY Counsel for the Respondent: 1. C SRINIVASA BABA The Court made the following: 3 VS,J W.P.No.5758 of 2011 ORDER: This Writ Petition came to be filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, seeking the following prayer: “…to issue any appropriate Writ, Order or direction, preferably a Writ in the nature of Mandamus, declaring the Proceedings bearing Roc. No. P3/48/AEO(ARJ)/TML/2011 dated 19/02/2011 issued by the Respondent herein as being illegal, arbitrary and violative of Articles 14, 21, 25 and 26 of the Constitution of India and to set aside the said proceedings…” 2. The petitioner herein claims to be a devotee of Lord Venkateswara; in the year 1980, the respondent started selling limited tickets for the Arjitha Sevas to a limited percentage of total number of tickets. In terms of the decision taken by the respondent, the petitioner booked tickets for Thomala Seva and Archana Seva up to the year 2030. 3. While the matter stood thus, the respondent issued a show cause notice dated 02.02.2011 informing that vide resolution bearing No.360, dated 20.01.2011, the respondent resolved to streamline and regulate the sevas to provide equal opportunity to larger devotee public, as a part of which, it was proposed to allow „one Melchat vastram, five persons for Poornabhishekam, Civet Vessel, Kasturi Vessel, Thomala, Archana and two tickets for Astadala Pada Padmarchana seva, Sahasra Kalasabhishekam, Thiruppavada sevas‟ or to allow single performance in 4 VS,J W.P.No.5758 of 2011 a calendar year from the year 2011 by duly cancelling the rest of the seva tickets by refunding the money; informing thus, the petitioner was directed to submit objection, if any, for the action proposed to be initiated by the respondent. Pursuant to the said notice, the petitioner did not submit any reply; subsequently, the respondent, vide the impugned proceedings dated 19.02.2011 cancelled all the additional Arjitha seva tickets issued to the petitioner and directed the petitioner to furnish all the original Arjitha seva tickets issued in his favour so as to refund the amount to the petitioner. Aggrieved by the same, the present writ petition is filed. 4. Heard Sri. M.S.P. Reddy, learned counsel representing Dr. Ch. Srinivasa Reddy, learned counsel for the petitioner and Sri. C. Srinivasa Baba, learned Standing Counsel for the respondent. 5. Perused the entire material available on record. During the course of arguments, learned Standing Counsel submitted that the respondent administration noticed that some persons have been making advance reservations and blocking Arjitha Seva tickets for several years, in some cases up to the year 2040. Therefore, in the larger interest of pilgrims and devotees and to regulate the Darshan and Seva system, the respondent decided to restrict the number of tickets that one person could book. The prescribed limits were 1 Melchat Vastram, 5 tickets for Poornabhishekam, Civet Vessel, Kasturi Vessel, Thomala and Archana, 5 VS,J W.P.No.5758 of 2011 and 2 tickets for Astadala Pada Padmarachana, Sahasra Kalasabhishekam and Thiruppavada Sevas. If any excess bookings in the same or similar name/address were found, the same were proposed to be cancelled and the amount shall be refunded. In the case on hand, the petitioner had made en-bloc bookings of prime Sevas such as Vastralankara and Abhishekam for several years up to the year 2030, thereby causing prejudice to other devotees and depriving them of an opportunity to attend the Sevas. Therefore, the respondent issued a notice to the petitioner proposing cancellation of the excess tickets and called for his objection, if any. 6. Learned Standing Counsel further contended that as the petitioner failed to submit any objection, the competent authority, vide the impugned proceedings dated 19.02.2011 cancelled all the additional Arjitha seva tickets issued to the petitioner up to the year 2030 and directed him to furnish all the original seva tickets so as to enable the respondent to refund the amount. Learned Standing Counsel contended that without raising any objection pursuant to the show cause notice issued to him and without approaching the respondent with all the original seva tickets, the petitioner has straightaway approached this Court. 7. Admittedly, based on a resolution passed by the respondent dated 20.01.2011, the petitioner was issued a show cause notice dated 6 VS,J W.P.No.5758 of 2011 02.02.2011 seeking objection for the proposed action of cancelling the seva tickets issued in his favour. It is undisputed that the petitioner did not submit any explanation to the said show cause notice. The impugned proceedings were issued pursuant to the resolution of the respondent- administration, with the object of regulating the booking of Arjitha Seva tickets and ensuring that all pilgrims and devotees are provided a fair and equal opportunity to avail the Sevas. The petitioner was also afforded an opportunity to submit his objections to the proposed action; however, the petitioner failed to submit any objection within the stipulated period. In such circumstances, and having regard to the larger public interest and the absence of any objection from the petitioner, this Court finds no sufficient ground to interfere with the impugned proceedings. However, the petitioner is at liberty to approach the concerned authorities of the respondent along with all the original seva tickets issued in his favour, seeking refund of the amount payable to him. 8. In the result, the writ petition is disposed of, directing the petitioner to furnish all the original seva tickets issued in his favour before the respondent seeking refund of the amount and upon furnishing such tickets, the concerned authority is directed to refund the amount to the petitioner as per the resolution dated 20.01.2011, in accordance with law. There shall be no order as to costs. 7 VS,J W.P.No.5758 of 2011 Consequently, Miscellaneous Petitions, if any, pending in this Petition shall stand closed. _____________________ JUSTICE V.SUJATHA 09.09.2026 Gss