Swamy wants to 'free' Andhra temples from govt, SC asks him to move HC

New Delhi: BJP leader Subramanian Swamy's war against the state government's monopoly over temples failed to impress the Supreme Court on Monday as it asked him to approach the Andhra Pradesh High Court.

A bench of Justices R F Nariman and Indu Malhotra instructed Swamy to move the HC with his plea challenging the provisions of a state law by which the administration and control of Hindu religious institutions are taken over by the government.

Swamy in his plea has challenged the constitutional validity of various provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Act, 1987.

He has contended that the Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanams (TTD), including Sri Venkateswaraswamy Temple at Tirumala, Sri Padmavathy Temple in Tiruchaanur and another 11 temples in Andhra Pradesh, were the richest temples in India in terms of annual income and asset holdings.

"For two generations, the temple has been under total control of the state government," he said in his plea.

Swamy said under the guise of sanction provided in the law to administer the religious institutions, the Andhra Pradesh government "has virtually usurped the fundamental religious, administrative and cultural rights of Hindu citizens and denominations...".

He said the hereditary trustees, Mahants, Archakas and other temple-oriented communities, as well as the worshipers who account for a major source of offerings and funds of the religious institutions, have become "passive observers and distant onlookers with practically no say in religious matters”.

"This consequence by itself is an encroachment on their rights and their freedom to profess, practice and propagate religion," his plea said.

He sought declaration of provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Act, 1987 as ultra vires under the Constitution.