The Andhra High Court said that the state government’s decision to take over the responsibility of managing the temple in Andhra Pradesh from the Ahobilam Mutt in Tamil Nadu is unconstitutional.
The temple, belonging to the Ahophilam Math, is located in the Kannul district of Andhra Pradesh. The Andhra government appointed an administrator under the Hindu Religious Endowments Act to oversee the management of the temple, claiming that the monastery and the temple were separate bodies. Against this, a case was filed in the Andhra High Court on behalf of the abbots.
The case was heard by a bench of Chief Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and Justice TVSS Somayajulu. In the judgment given by the judges, the argument of the Andhra Pradesh government that the madam and the temple are different bodies cannot be accepted. Mutt and temple were established under Article 26(d) of the Constitution to propagate Vaishnavism.
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The temple is managed by the concerned monastery. The evidence is clear. The Andhra government cannot take over the management of the temple on the grounds that the temple is in Andhra Pradesh and the Math is in Tamil Nadu. That act is against the Constitution. It must be remembered that during the existence of the united Chennai province, the monastery and the temple were located on the same land.
There is no evidence to prove that the temple functions and rituals were different from the mutt. Andhra government’s act of appointing a separate officer to manage the temple takes away the administrative right of the abbots. Andhra government’s contention that all Jiyas and other employees of the Math come under the control of the Administrative Officer cannot be accepted.
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In the judgment, it has been mentioned that there is a reference to the temple and a reference to the abbots in the inscription found in Dhamavaram dating back to the year 1564.
