Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Act, 1987

The appellant, Dokiseela Ramulu, a landless cultivator, claimed that he and his ancestors had possessed a parcel of agricultural land in Sangam Agraharam village long before the 1959 notification under Section 3 of the Andhra Pradesh (Andhra Area) Estates (Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari) Act, 1948, and therefor…

The Supreme Court examined the constitutional validity of Section 82 of the Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Act, 1987, which cancels all agricultural leases of lands held by charitable or religious institutions except those of "landless poor" persons. The State of Andhra Prades…

The case concerned 5 bighas of land donated by a Fauzdar to his ancestor for the construction of a temple. The land was held to be an absolute private gift, not an endowment, and the temple was deemed a private temple. After a long series of suits, appeals and a Supreme Court judgment confirming these findings, the Sta…

The petitioners, representing several maths, challenged the constitutionality of Sections 50 to 55 of the Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Act, 1987, alleging that the provisions interfered with the religious freedom of the Mathadhipathi under Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitut…

The appellants, small shop‑owners in Tirumala, challenged the compensation awarded for their land acquired by the State for the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894. The Reference Court had fixed a market value of Rs.80‑100 per square foot based on escalation of values of adjacent l…

The Supreme Court examined whether societies and trusts claiming exemption under Section 10(23C)(vi) of the Income‑Tax Act must exist exclusively for educational purposes and not for profit. It held that “solely” means the institution’s objects must be limited to education; any surplus is permissible only if it arises …

The Supreme Court examined the constitutionality of Sections 34, 35, 36, 37, 39 and 144 of the Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Act, 1987, which abolished hereditary rights of archakas, mirasidars, gamekars and other temple office‑holders. The petitioners, hereditary priests, co…

The petitioners, hereditary trustees of several Hindu charitable and religious institutions in Andhra Pradesh, challenged Sections 15, 16, 17, 29(5) and 144 of the Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Act, 1987, alleging violations of Articles 14, 15, 25 and 26 of the Constitution. …

The case concerned a long‑standing dispute between two sections of the Kuruba community over the performance of rituals and custody of idols of Lord Sangalappa Swamy. A compromise decree dated 1 November 1933 required the respondents to pay half the pooja expenses, to rotate the idols every six months and to appoint tr…

The Supreme Court examined the recommendations of a committee appointed to determine the pay scales, honoraria and classification of hereditary religious staff of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) under the Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Act, 1987. The petitions challen…

The petitioners sought review of the State Government's acceptance of a Committee's recommendations under the Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Act, 1987 concerning classification of temples, remuneration and cadre strength of Archakas, and related administrative measures. The Su…

The Supreme Court examined the implementation of welfare measures for Archakas and other temple employees under the Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Act, 1987. It upheld the constitutional validity of the Act and held that the abolition of hereditary rights of Archakas is not un…

The Supreme Court examined the constitutional validity of the Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Act, 1987, particularly its provisions abolishing hereditary rights of Archakas and other temple officials. It held that such abolition was not unconstitutional and that the Act's welf…

The Executive Officer of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) filed an application seeking recovery of excess payments made to archakas, gamekars, jeeyamgars and other mirasidars under the Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Act, 1987. The TTD alleged that payments totalling ap…

The appellants challenged a notice issued by the Deputy Commissioner of Endowments under Section 87 of the Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Act, 1987, which sought to determine whether the Shri Panduranga Vitthal Swami temple was a public or private temple. They argued that the …

The plaintiff, Pushpagiri Math, claimed ownership of a parcel of land that had been granted as a Bhatavarthi inam to the great‑grandfather of the respondent, Kopparaju Veerabhadra Rao, for services rendered. The respondent asserted title by prescription after the Inam Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari Act, 1956 ca…

The employees, who were former nominal muster‑roll (NMR) workers, were appointed as Attenders under a circular that gave preference to ex‑employees. Verification revealed they were over the age limit of 28 years prescribed by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams Employees Service Rules, 1989, and they were terminated. Th…

The A.P.N.G.O.'S Association sought to purchase 18 acres of land owned by a Hindu temple to build houses for its members. Under s.80 of the Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Act, 1987, the government published a Gazette notice inviting objections and subsequently issued G.O.Ms. N…