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Andhra Pradesh High Court – Amravati
Of} vs ?. The Deputy Ex Ecutive Engineer on 26 May, 2026
Beene Sonn IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVAT! (SPECIAL ORIGINAL JURISDICTION) TUESDAY, THE TWENTY SIXTH DAY OF MAY TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY Six PRESENT: THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE BALAU MEDAMALLI WRIT PETITION NO: 14928 OF 2026 Retween Y. ae to 4 Syamala Venugopala neney Sfo. Syarmala Subba Redely, Aged about of years, Rio. HINo. 2-104, Tsundur, Guntur District, Andhra Prad tesh- Poluru Uday Kiran Reddy, Sia. Kotlreddy, Aged about 24 years, R/o. 3. 440, Tsundury, Guntur District, Andhra Pradash-522318 Sty Ra Gorrepath &3 nivasa "Reddy. sfo. Seeta Rami Reedely, Aged about | oF} ia years, Rio. 3-108, Te sundur, Guntur Oistrict, Andhra Pradesh- 532318 an .. Petitioners The State of Andhra Pradesh, Rep by its Principal Secretary, Revenue Endowments Department, AP. Seeretariat, Veigapudi, Amaravathi, Guntur District 622237 ~ The Comyn issioner, Endowments Department, Gollapuci, Vilayvawada, ? The Deputy Commission er, Endawments Department, Guntur, Guriur DistiatS22002 vt rhe Oistrict Endowments Officer, Guntur, Guntur Distric!-S22002 Sri Kasi Visweswara Swan tyoand Sri Pana Vinansana Swamy Temoe, * Represented by its Execullve Officer, Tsunduru Village and Manda 7 a Kasi Visweewara and Papavinasana Swamy, -- Renovation i Reyer dies Miaterat £ we Bye Ge a wearteneee A ayy HS ty Nee "ey saad ek, Late Racha Krishna, Aged about §8 Years, Rio Munningvaripalem, Ysundur Mandal, Bapatia INetricl- S22 104 ?. The Deputy Ex ecutive Engineer, Endowments Denariment, Guretur, Guntur District-S22002 Respondents Patifion under Article 228 of the Constitution of india praying that in the veourstances siated in the affidavit fled t herewith, the High Court may be cS pieased fo Issue any writ o rete ror direction more particularly one in the nature : : ent od yee o fF met ee the Oth respondent highhandedly damaging the 5" resonneent eee temple kinis and structures im ihe name of reconstruction without sutharity, without following the add custome without following procerlure established by law, without are shaeciagical preservation as egal, arberary anc against princinies of T Natur 'al Justice and violative of Articles 19, 34,25, 38° 49 and provisions of Andhra Sradesh Charfable and Hindu Religious este institutions and Endowments Act (98? and Andhra Pradesh Ane astorical Monumeriia and Archaeological Stes And Remains Act, ayrid comsequently direct the 2° : resp ondent io restrain the G{h respondent fram IA NG: 1 OF 2026 3 oe on : Ped a " : Sheast fy ah : Rey espondent in the guise of construction Sanding disposal af WE 14926 of Red The Petition corning on for hearing, upon perusing the Petition and the atidavit Hed in supy port wh erect and upon hearing the argurnenis of SRI K RAGHU VEER Advocate for the Petifioners, and of GP FOR ENDOWMENTS, for the Respondent Nos.i to 4 & 7, the Court made the following UORDER: Heard Ms.S.Theleswi, jiearned counsel represeniing Sri KV Raghuveer, learned counsel for the petitioners and learned Government Pleader for Endowments. The Writ Petition is fied for the following relleh "to issue any writ, order or direction more particularly one in the nature of Writ of Mandamus declaring the action of 2° respondent nat stapeing the 6th respondent highhandedly damaging the 5° respondent 'temple idafis and structures in the name af reconstruction without authority, without following the agamas. sustoms, without following gracedure astablishad by law, without archaeological preservation as Megal, arblrary and against orincinfas of Natural Justice and violative of Articias 78, 24, 28, 28, 49 and provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Hindu Religious institutions and Endowments Act, JO87 and Andhra Pradesh Ancient And Historical Monuments and Archaesiogical Sites And Remains Act, 1880 and consequently direct the 2° respondent to restrain the 6th respandent from recanstructing and removing the idais from the sacred sanctum af the 5° reapondent tampie" : The case of the patitio ners is that the S" respondent-temple was constructed in the year 4880 in Ysunduru Vilage and Mandal by one "Gade Family' and temple affairs had been developed andmanaged by the Gade family ever since. The Sth respondaent-temple consists of main ety sri Kasi Visweswara Swamy Temple and other Upelayas, which nealude Sri Papa Vinasana Swamy Temple. The respondents particularly mn aih respondent started reconstructions of the tample withoul get. me following the procedure as per the Agama Shastras and the customs while removing the idals.and started demolition and recanstructian of the temple. a " a learned Government Pleader would submit that the Government as sanctioned CGF (Common Group Fund) to the tune of RS, 88,00,000/- (Rupses Ninety Bight Lakhs only} with a matching contribution of Rs.49,00,000/- (Rupees Farty Nine Lakhs only} by the villagers amounting to Rs.,47,00,000/ (Runess One Crore and Forty Seven Uskhs anly} towards the cost of reconstruction of the fample vide proceedings dated 15.07.2028. After the sanction of the C.G.F., the authorities have called for tenders and the tenders were finalized in favour of M/s. Sri Srinivasa and Company. Thereafter, under the supervision of the Executive Officer of the temple and elders, the works of renovation hayes been taken up duly constructing "Balaalayam" and prana prathista of Balaalaya idols and started the removal of the main idol from the temple and that they have completed the said work yesterday itself, a - : The fmarned course! for the petitioners submitted that the authorities ars not following the procedure and the work is being carrisd pr its eut through the 8" respondent. They have not taken any care while removing the idols, which are not only having archaeological value but z. coupled with the sentiments of the public. They have damaged the Moola Virata (Shivalingam) while removing the same. However, the learfied Government Pleader disputed the same and submitted that the entire work hag been taken up and carried out as per the Agama Shastras and the customs, under the supervision of the Executive Officer and elders of the village. Though, the sald termipie may not be a recognized temple under the Andhra Pradesh Anc lent and Historical Monuments and "Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 4966, ag submitted by the learned counsel for the pelilioners, the same is more tan 160 vears aid, Bois far the authorities to see that the archaeological value of the same should next be compromised, ee | in view of the above said factual aspects, H iS apposite fo direct the respondent Nos 2 to 5 to see that all the religious customs prevailing 'and the procedure contemplated under the Agama Shastras and the customs should be fol lowed whil e proceeding with the renovation works duly consulting the "Stapathis" who were appointed for the said PUTpose. . | any reconstruction works are taken up in respect of the other Unpalayas within a premises of the sublect temple, they should also follow of the procedure as stated above. The respondents are directed to Mle their counter indicating the procedure and customs followed while carrying out the above said works, - List the matter immediately after Summer Vacation, 2028. TRUE COPY! cm ene wae Andiva Pradesh, AP o Secretariat, Velgapud Amaravathi, Guntur Disivich 522237 (by Special Messenger} 2. The Cormissioner,:Eadowments Department, Gallaoudl, Vilayawada, Krishna District! vale 4& The Distic! Endowrnents Officer, Guritur, Guntur [istrict ae2ag9 The Principal Secretary, Revenue Endowments Department, State of 25 ih an wd g Ne sr Kasi Viseweswara Swamy and Sa Mapa Vinarsana Swamy Ternple, Represented by its. Executh ye Officer, Tsundary Village and Mandal, Bapatla Distr let 522 Sr Kasi Visweswara and Papavinasana Swamy, Renovation Development Seva Service » Trust, Munningvarioaier, Tsuncur May mada Bapatia District, Ren by its FresidentAmmisetty Sri Rama Murthy Sis Laie Ractha Krishna, Aged about 89 Years, Rio Munningvaripalam: Ysundur Mandal, Hapatia Distric-S22104 The Deputy Executive Enginger, Encowments Deparment, Guntur, Guntuy Districl5o2002 {Addrassees 3 to 7 by RPAD} One OC to SRK W RAGHU VEE RR Advocate [OPUC] Two CCs to GP ror ENDO AVMENTS |High Court of Andhra Pradesh. . 10. One spare copy HIGH COURT SM DATED: 26/08/2026 NOTE: List the matter immediately after Summer Vacation, 2026. ORDER
WP. No. 148268 of 2026
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SPONSORED
DIRECTION
