APHC010570072025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3330] WEDNESDAY, THE 29th DAY OF JULY 2026 PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE TARLADA RAJASEKHAR RAO WRIT PETITION NO: 29635/2025 Between: 1. GULLAPALLI NAGAMANI,, D/O KATARI VISHNUMURTY, AGED ABOUT 58 YEARS, OCC- AGRICULTURIST, R/O DR. NO. 6-5, SAGARA NAGARAM, KOMARAGIRI POST, KOMARAGIRI, EAST GODAVARI DISTRICT, ANDHRA PRADESH-533 450. 2. KATARI SRIDEVI,, W/O K. SRINIVAS, AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS, OCC- AGRICULTURIST, R/O DR. NO. 5-14, SAGARA NAGARAM, KOMAGIRI POST, EAST GODAVARI DISTRICT, ANDHRA PRADESH-533 450. 3. GARAPATI NIRMALA DEVI, , W/O GARAPATI VARAHALUBABU, AGED ABOUT 38 YEARS, OCC- AGRICULTURIST, R/O DR. NO. 14- 291, MILLI GURUVU, GOLLAPROLU MANDALAM, CHEBROLU, EAST GODAVARI DISTRICT, ANDHRA PRADESH-533 449. ...PETITIONER(S) AND 1. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REP. BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, ENDOWMENTS DEPARTMENT, SECRETARIAT, AMARAVATI, GUNTUR DISTRICT. 2. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REP. BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, REVENUE DEPARTMENT, SECRETARIAT, AMARAVATI, GUNTUR DISTRICT 3. THE COMMISSIONER, ENDOWMENTS DEPARTMENT, ANDHRA PRADESH, VIJAYAWADA. 4. THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, ENDOWMENTS DEPARTMENT, KAKINADA. 5. THE DISTRICT ENDOWMENTS OFFICER, ENDOWMENTS 2 DEPARTMENT, KAKINADA. 6. THE DISTRICT COLLECTOR, KAKINADA DISTRICT, ANDHRA PRADESH. 7. THE JOINT COLLECTOR, KAKINADA DISTRICT, ANDHRA PRADESH. 8. THE TAHSILDAR, , MANDAL REVENUE OFFICE, U. KOTHAPPALLI, KAKINADA DISTRICT. . 9. THE REVENUE DIVISIONAL OFFICER, U. KOTHAPALLI, KAKINADA. 10. SRI SEETHA RAMA SWAMY VARI DEVASTHANAM, GORSA VILLAGE REP. BY ITS EXECUTIVEOFFICER, PITHAPURAM, U. KOTHAPALLI MANDAL, KAKINADA DISTRICT 11. THE SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE, KAKINADA DISTRICT, KAKINADA. 12. AYINANPUDI SATYANARAYANA RAJU, C/O AYINANPUDI VENKATA RAJU, AGED ABOUT 82 YEARS, R/O DR.3-17, RAJULA VEEDHI, GORSA, U.KOTHA PALLI, ANDHRA PRADESH - 533450 13. OLETY KAMESWARARAO, S/O.OLETY DAKSHINAMURTHY, AGED ABOUT 46 YEARS, 3-23, U.KOTHA PALLI, GORSA, EAST GODAVARI, ANDHRA PRADESH -533450 14. DENDUKURI GURRAJU, LATE DENDUKURI SURAPARAJU, AGED ABOUT 56 YEARS, 5-27-4, BANK COLONY, 27TH WARD, TUNI, EAST GODAVARI, ANDHRA PRADESH -533401 15. RONGALA VEERABABU, S/O.SATTIBABU, AGED ABOUT 37 YEARS,2-43/1, GORSA, U.KOTHA PALLI, EAST GODAVARI, ANDHRA PRADESH -533450 R12 TO 15 ARE IMPLEADED AS PER COURTS ORDER DT.04.02.2026 IN I.A.NO.2 OF 2025 ...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 topleased to issue a Writ of Mandamus or any other appropriate Writ, direction, order or orders declaring the action of the Respondents in issuing a public notice dated 22.10.2025 in the local newspapers inviting the interested parties to take up lease and thereby trying to dispossess the Petitioners from their respective agricultural lands admeasuring to an extent of Ac. 0.50 cents in Sy. No. 121, Ac.O. 54 cents in Sy. No. 122 and Ac. 0.50 cents in Sy. No. 122 in of Komaragiri Village, U. Kothapalli Mandal, Kakinada District without 3 following any due process of law as the same being illegal, arbitrary, capricious, sans jurisdiction, violative to cardinal principles of natural justice and contrary to the provisions of Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Act, 1987 (Act No. 30 of 1987) as amended by Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments (Amendment) Act, 2023 (Act No. 36 of 2023), and Articles 19, 21 and 300-A of Indian Constitution and consequently, direct the Respondents not to dispossess the Petitioners from their agricultural lands admeasuring to an extent of Ac. 0.50 cents in Sy. No. 121, Ac.O. 54 cents in Sy. No. 122 and Ac. 0.50 cents in Sy. No. 122 in of Komaragiri Village, U. Kothapalli Mandal, Kakinada District by setting aside the public notice dated 22.10.2025 and pass Counsel for the Petitioner(S): 1. VENKAT CHALLA Counsel for the Respondent(S): 1. GP FOR HOME 2. GP FOR REVENUE 3. KAPPERA KOTESWARA RAO SC for Endowments,AP Region. 4. GP FOR ENDOWMENTS 5. SARANU PHANI TEJA WRIT PETITION NO: 29756/2025 Between: Katari Govindu and Others ...PETITIONER(S) AND The State Of Ap and Others ...RESPONDENT(S) Counsel for the Petitioner(S): 1. VENKAT CHALLA Counsel for the Respondent(S): 1. GP FOR REVENUE 2. KAPPERA KOTESWARA RAO SC for Endowments,AP Region. 3. GP FOR ENDOWMENTS 4. SARANU PHANI TEJA 4 WRIT PETITION NO: 29978/2025 Between: Gullapalli Srinivasu and Others ...PETITIONER(S) AND The State Of Andhra Pradesh and Others ...RESPONDENT(S) Counsel for the Petitioner(S): 1. JADA SRAVAN KUMAR Counsel for the Respondent(S): 1. GP FOR REVENUE 2. KAPPERA KOTESWARA RAO SC for Endowments,AP Region. 3. GP FOR ENDOWMENTS 4. SARANU PHANI TEJA WRIT PETITION NO: 7993/2026 Between: Gullapalli Sreenivasu and Others ...PETITIONER(S) AND The State Of Andhra Pradesh and Others ...RESPONDENT(S) Counsel for the Petitioner(S): 1. JADA SRAVAN KUMAR Counsel for the Respondent(S): 1. N SIVA REDDY 2. KAPPERA KOTESWARA RAO SC for Endowments,AP Region. 3. GP FOR ENDOWMENTS The Court made the following: 5 THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE TARLADA RAJASEKHAR RAO WRIT PETITION Nos.29635, 29756, 29978 of 2025 and 7993 of 2026 COMMON ORDER: As the relief sought in all these Writ Petitions is one and the same, they are being disposed of by this common order. 2. The sum and substance in these Writ Petitions is that the petitioners claim rights over the subject properties. The temples claim that the said properties belong to them and that they have been notified under the provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Act, 1987 (hereinafter for short ‘the Act’). 3. Learned counsel for the petitioners submits that temples filed O.As. before the Tribunal claiming rights over the subject properties. Subsequent to filing of O.As., and during pendency of O.As., the Government amended certain provisions of the Act. By virtue of the said amendments, temple withdrew O.As. Thereafter, authorities issued notices under Section 83 (5) of the Act to the petitioners, directing them to evict from the subject properties. Challenging the same, petitioners filed A.Ss. before the Tribunal and the same are pending. Initially, interim orders were granted in favour of the petitioners. However, the same were not extended subsequently. While A.Ss. are pending before the Tribunal, the respondents issued two paper publications inviting tenders for grant of leasehold rights in respect of subject properties. The first paper publication was issued on 22.10.2025 and the same was assailed in W.P.No.29978 of 2025. The second paper publication was issued on 6 13.03.2026 and the same was assailed in W.P.No.7993 of 2026. This Court passed an interim order on 31.10.2025, directing the respondents not to proceed with auction. The notices issued under Section 83(5) of the Act have been challenged by the petitioners in A.Ss. 4. Learned counsel for unofficial respondents submits that unofficial respondents participated in the said auction and stood as highest bidders. Learned counsel further submits that petitioners are not in possession of the subject properties and that the possession was taken by the temple authorities by following due process of law. Hence, prayed to dismiss the writ petitions. 5. After hearing learned counsel appearing for both sides, and with their consent, without expressing any opinion on merits, these Writ Petitions are disposed of with following directions: (a) The petitioners and respondents are directed to approach the Tribunal for expeditious disposal of A.Ss., pending before it. The Tribunal is directed to dispose of the same as expeditiously as possible, preferably within a period of six months from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. (b) The parties are directed to maintain status quo as on today till disposal of A.Ss. (c) The petitioners and respondents are directed to raise all the grounds before the Tribunal and the Tribunal is directed to address all the grounds raised by the parties, in accordance with law. 7 (d) There shall be no order as to costs. As a sequel thereto, Interlocutory Applications pending, if any, shall stand closed. __________________________________ JUSTICE TARLADA RAJASEKHAR RAO Date: 29.07.2026 KBN 8 68 THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE TARLADA RAJASEKHAR RAO WRIT PETITION Nos.29635, 29756, 29978 of 2025 and 7993 of 2026 Date: 29.07.2026 KBN