Date of reserved for orders : Date of pronouncement :30.06.2026 Date of uploading :02.07.2026 APHC010091552025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3330] TUESDAY, THE 30th DAY OF JUNE 2026 PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE TARLADA RAJASEKHAR RAO WRIT PETITION NO: 4700/2025 Between: 1. ARCHAKAM LOKANATHAM,, S/O. LATE CHINNA RAJAPPA, AGED ABOUT 58 YEARS, OCC- HEREDITARY ARCHAKA OF SRI VALEESWARASWAMY TEMPLE, BALASAMUDRAM, H/O. R. NADIMPALLE, RAMASAMUDRAM REVENUE MANDAL, ANNAMAYYA DISTRICT. ...PETITIONER AND 1. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, , REP. BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY ENDOWMENT DEPARTMENT, SECRETARIAT, VELAGAPUDI, GUNTUR DISTRICT. 2. THE COMMISSIONER, ENDOWMENT DEPARTMENT, VIJAYAWADA, A.P. 3. THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, ENDOWMENT DEPARTMENT, KURNOOL, KURNOOL DISTRICT. 4. THE DISTRICT COLLECTOR, RAYACHOTI, ANNAMAYYA DISTRICT. 5. THE DISTRICT ENDOWMENTS OFFICER, ENDOWMENTS DEPARTMENT, RAYACHOTI, ANNAMAYYA DISTRICT. 6. SRI VALEESWARA SWAMY TEMPLE, REP. BY THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER, BALLASAMUDRAM, R. NADIMPALLE, RAMASAMUDRAM MANDAL, ANNAMAYYA DISTRICT, ERSTWHILE CHITTOOR DISTRICT. 7. G NANDA KUMAR, , S/O. G. SRI RAMULU, AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS, R/O. BALLASAMUDRAM VILLAGE, R. NIDAMPALLE POST, RAMASAMUDRAM MANDAL, ANNAMAYYA DISTRICT. 8. G MALLIKARJUNA, S/O. G. KRISHNAPPA, AGED ABOUT 32 YEARS, R/O. D.NO. 331, BALLASAMUDRAM VILLAGE, RAMASAMUDRAM MANDAL, ANNAMAIAH DISTRICT. 9. B VALLEPPA, S/O. B. CHENNARAYAPPA, AGED ABOUT 50 YEARS, R/O. BALLASAMUDRAM VILLAGE, RAMASAMUDRAM MANDAL, ANNAMAIAH DISTRICT. 10. R SUJATHAMMA, W/O. RAMAKRISHNAPPA, AGED ABOUT 2 65 YEARS, R/O. BALLASAMUDRAM VILLAGE, RAMASAMUDRAM MANDAL, ANNAMAIAH DISTRICT. 11. K BHARATHAMMA, W/O. K. REDDEPPA, AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS, R/O. BALLASAMUDRAM VILLAGE, RAMASAMUDRAM MANDAL, ANNAMAIAH DISTRICT. 12. S JAYA PRAKASH, . S/O. K. SUBRAMANYAM, AGED ABOUT 45 YEARS, R/O. MATTIKONASADRAM VILLAGE, SOMAYAJULAPALLI, SRIVASTVA TALUKA, KOLLAR DISTRICT. KARNATAKA. 13. BAJANTRI SHANKARAPPA, , S/O. RAMAYYA, AGED ABOUT 50 YEARS, R/O. RAMASAMUDRAM VILLAGE, RAMASAMUDRAM MANDAL, ANNAMAIAH DISTRICT ...RESPONDENT(S): 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 tomay be pleased to issue a writ, order or direction more particularly one in the nature of Writ of Mandamus to declare the highhanded impugned Order of the 3rd Respondent vide Proc.in ENDOW-ADMN/64/2025-JA(B4)-ENDTSKNL, Dated 13.02.2025 by exempting from crimes, illegal encroachment and bad conduct of the Respondents no 7 to 11, who are not trust members or donors to the temple and who were involved in violation created at time of Sivarathri Brahmhotsavam in the year 2023 and 2024 vide register crimes no. 18 of 2023 and crime no.85 of 2024, where under appoints a festival committee to the 6th Respondent temple with the Respondents no.7 to 13 and appointed new archakas/Respondent no. 12 without considering the Petitioner Mukya Archakatavam/Hereditary Archakatavam as illegal, irregular and arbitrary and violation of the Section 18 of the Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Act, 1987 and rules made thereunder and discriminative violation of the article 14 and 16 of the constitution of India and consequently set aside the proceedings vide Proc.in ENDOW- ADMN/64/2025-JA(B4)-ENDTSKNL, Dated 13.02.2025, issued by the Respondents no.3 and appoint peaceful festival committee along with the Petitioner/Mukhya Archaka in the 6th Respondent temple by considering the Petitioner Mukhya Archakatvam since from 2001 and hereditary archakavam since from 1959, and pass IA NO: 1 OF 2025 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 may be pleased to suspend the Order of the 3"'^ Respondent vide Proc.in ENDOW-ADMN/64/2025-JA(B4)- ENDTSKNL, Dated 13.02.2025, by considering the Respondents no.7 to 10 illegal activity, illegal encroachment and bad conduct of the Respondents no 7 to 10, who are involved in crime no. 18 of 2023 and 3 crime no.85 of 2024 in 6^'' respondent temple, by considering the case of the Petitioner/hereditary Archaka who are qualified and eligible for peaceful celebrations of Mahasivarathri Bramhotsavam from 20.02.2025 to 01.03.2025, pending disposal of the main Writ Petition, and pass IA NO: 2 OF 2025 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 may be pleased to direct the Respondent No. 6 to handover the Utsava Vigraha (Idols) Temple Key to the Petitioner for doing Pooja and rituals as per the temple customs, and pass Counsel for the Petitioner: 1. P SARASWATHI Counsel for the Respondent(S): 1. T VENU GOPAL SC FOR ENDOWMENTS (RAYALASEEMA REGION) 2. GP FOR ENDOWMENTS The Court made the following: 4 THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE TARLADA RAJASEKHAR RAO WRIT PETITION No.4700 of 2025 ORDER: The present writ petition is filed aggrieved by the action of the respondents in appointing respondent Nos.7 to 13 as a Festival Committee to respondent No.6-Temple for performing Mahasivarathri Brahmhostavam from 20.02.2025 to 01.03.2025. 2. This Court, vide proceedings dated 21.02.2025, directed the respondents to permit the petitioner to participate along with the Committee for smooth running of the festival. Thereafter, Mahasivarathri Brahmhostavam has been completed. As such, nothing remains in the writ petition to adjudicate further. 3. Therefore, the present Writ Petition is dismissed as infructuous. However, if at all the respondents appoint any committee for conducting Brahmhostavam in future, the petitioner is at liberty to challenge the same in accordance with law. There shall be no order as to costs. As a sequel thereto, miscellaneous petitions pending, if any, shall stand closed. __________________________________ JUSTICE TARLADA RAJASEKHAR RAO Date: 30.06.2026 KBN Whether the order is: Speaking Yes/No / Reasoned Yes/No Reportable Yes/No / Non-Reportable Yes/No 5 10 THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE TARLADA RAJASEKHAR RAO WRIT PETITION No. 4700 of 2025 Date: 30.06.2026 KBN