AP High Court directs state to file counter on 3 TTD Trust Board members appointment

Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Wednesday directed the state government to file its counter affidavit in response to a PIL challenging the appointment of three members to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Trust Board.

The petition was filed by former railway employee Chintha Venkateswarlu, who alleged that the three members, Kethan Desai, Sarath Chandra Reddy, and Samineni Udayabhanu, have criminal antecedents.

Desai’s membership of the Medical Council of India was withdrawn by the Delhi High Court in 2018, while Reddy was involved in a liquor scam in 2015. Udayabhanu is facing criminal charges, including one of assault.

Venkateswarlu's counsel, Jada Sravan Kumar, argued that the appointment of these three members to the TTD Trust Board was illegal and that they should be removed.

The court directed the state government to file its counter affidavit within three weeks and posted the matter for further hearing after that.