HC ORDER ON ARCHAKATVAM MAY HIT TTD

The Hyderabad High Court has held that when there is a serious dispute over rendering of archakatvam service to the deity, it cannot be resolved unless there is a detailed inquiry by a competent authority under the AP Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Act, 1987.

The recent HC order gains significance in view of the ongoing dispute over archakatvam at the Lord Venkateswara temple at Tirumala.

Justice P. Keshava Rao was disposing of two petitions pertaining to the dispute over rendering of archakatvam at the Sri Chennakesava Swami temple at Kodithadiparru in Guntur, between the Parasaram and Deevi families which is going on since 2006. The judge held that the endowments tribunal was competent to deal with matters to settle the dispute after through inquiry.

Mr Deevi Appalacharyulu and Mr Deevi Srinivasa Chakravarthy approached the High Court separately after a dispute was raised by Mr Pardhasarathi, father of Srinivasa Chakravarthy, with regard to rendering the archakatvam.

Justice Keshava Rao held that whether Mr Deevi Appalacharyulu was performing archakatvam from the beginning and his services were obstructed only in 1972 and 1982, as contended, is a disputed question of fact which cannot be decided in a writ petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India

The judge said the tribunal constituted under the Act was competent to inquire into and ascertain the facts in the case.