AP High Court Questions Government Allotment Of Temple Land To Corporation

The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Thursday raised pointed objections to the State government’s allotment of 30 acres of temple land to a state‑owned energy development corporation without following statutory procedures, deepening scrutiny over how sacred property is being repurposed for industrial use.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur and Justice Cheemalapati Guna Ranjan questioned the legality of transferring land belonging to the Sri Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Swamy Devasthanam in Balighattam village, Narsipatnam mandal (Anakapalli district), observing that such properties must be dealt with through transparent mechanisms such as public auction under existing law.

The issue came up during the hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by former MLA Petla Uma Shankar Ganesh, who challenged the government’s move to lease temple land to the New and Renewable Energy Development Corporation without competitive bidding. Senior counsel for the petitioner argued that the authorities bypassed due process — including the requirement of a public sale — and allowed the corporation to take possession before formal approvals were in place.

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The court highlighted that assigning temple land for industrial or energy projects does not alter its fundamental classification as agricultural or religious endowment property, questioned whether such use was justified when other state land was available, and emphasised that auction methods are intended to protect public and temple interests. The bench noted that even if the lease offer was increased from earlier rates, competitive bidding could have yielded greater value and transparency.

Government counsel defended the lease terms, citing a higher annual offer amount, but the judges were unconvinced and stressed compliance with legal norms. The matter was adjourned for further hearing on June 24, and the court directed the petitioner to challenge the relevant government order (GO) constitutionally through the appropriate legal channels.

Legal experts say the case could set an important precedent on how temple lands — which courts have repeatedly recognised as sacred and often vested in deities rather than the state — are managed and alienated for purposes other than worship or religious purposes. Past judicial rulings emphasise that such lands and endowments must generally be preserved and cannot be diverted without stringent oversight.

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