Telangana HC sets aside endowments notice on Bandi Sanjay’s family temple

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court has set aside a notice that sought to bring the Maha Shakti temple in Chaitanyapuri, Karimnagar—built and managed by his family—under the regulatory purview of the endowments department.

Court’s directions and observations

Justice EV Venugopal, delivering the order, granted authorities three months to consider Sanjay Kumar’s representation seeking exemption from mandatory registration of the temple under the Telangana Endowments Act.

The court termed the department’s notice as premature but clarified that Sanjay’s assertion of the temple being a private institution was not substantiated merely by the absence of donation boxes (hundis) or religious service fees.

Background of the dispute

The dispute began with a notice issued by the Assistant Commissioner of Endowments in July 2016, directing Sanjay Kumar to register the temple under Section 43(1) of the Telangana Endowments Act. Such registration would have placed the temple under the department’s regulatory control.

Sanjay Kumar resisted, arguing that the temple was constructed in 2010 with his personal funds (Rs 2 crore) and managed under the spiritual guidance of Sri Hampi Virupaksha Vidyaranya Bharathi Swamiji of Karnataka.

He was appointed as the Swamiji’s agent and ‘Dharmakartha’ to oversee temple activities.

Sanjay further claimed the temple was a private institution with no income, no hundis, no fees for rituals, and that all expenses were borne by his family.

He cited a pending exemption application under Section 154 of the Act and referenced earlier exemptions granted to similar temples, including Sri Balaji Temple in Chilkur and Sri Subramanya Swamy Temple at Skandagiri, among others.

Department’s stand

The Endowments Department, in its counter-affidavit, argued that the temple was a public religious institution open to all devotees and thus subject to the Act.

Officials maintained that the absence of hundis or fees did not exempt the temple from registration and pointed out that the temple’s claimed adoption by the Hampi Mutt was never formally ratified by the department.

They also noted that, aside from issuing the initial notice, no further steps were taken by the department.

Court’s conclusion

Justice Venugopal observed that both parties acknowledged the existence of a pending exemption application.

The court noted the department’s failure to assess the temple’s income or to initiate procedures under Section 6 to determine its eligibility for inclusion in the official list of charitable and religious institutions.

The authorities have now been given three months to consider Sanjay Kumar’s plea for exemption from registration under the Endowments Act.