Let religious people deal with it: Supreme Court on Ahobilam Mutt Temple row

New Delhi, January 27

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain the Andhra Pradesh Government’s petition challenging a state High Court’s order holding that the state administration had no authority under law to appoint an executive officer to the Ahobilam mutt temple.

“Let the religious people deal with it,” a Bench led by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul said. The government has no authority, jurisdiction or entitlement under law to appoint an executive officer of the Sri Ahobila Mutt Parampara Aadheena Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Devasthanam’ (Ahobilam Mutt Temple), it added.

“In every case under Article 136 (special leave to appeal by the Supreme Court), we need not try to settle the law,” the Bench told the state’s counsel.

The state and others had challenged the October 13, 2022 HC order, which said the Ahobilam temple was an “integral and inseparable part of the Ahobilam Math, which was established as a part of propagation of Hindu religion and for rendering spiritual service for propagating Sri Vaishnavism”.