Top court allows non-Hindus to take part in auction for lease of temple shops in Andhra Pradesh

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 18

The Supreme Court has allowed non-Hindus to participate in the process of auction for grant of lease for shops at the Sri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple at Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh.

A Bench led by Justice DY Chandrachud ordered on Friday that none of the tenants/shop holders shall be excluded from participating in the auction or from the grant of leases solely on the ground of their religion.

The order came on petitions challenging the Andhra Pradesh High Court’s 2019 verdict affirming the state government’s decision to exclude non-Hindus from obtaining lease/licence for shops, malls and shopping complexes of Hindu temples/religious institutions.

The state government had said “no person professing other than Hinduism as his religion is entitled to obtain lease or licence either to tender-cum-public auction of the shops, malls, etc coming under the jurisdiction of AP Charitable and Hindu Religious Institution and Endowments Act, 1987”.

The top court had in January last year stayed the high court’s order dismissing a petition against the Andhra Pradesh Government’s decision prohibiting non-Hindus from participation of tender-cum-auction of shops or obtaining lease/licence to carry on business in immovable property belonging to the temple.