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Supreme Court Rejects Plea for Tirupati Statehood and SIT Time Limit in Laddu Case

The Supreme Court of India today dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by evangelist Dr. KA Paul, who sought the creation of a separate state or Union Territory for Tirupati city and a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the Tirupati Laddu controversy. The PIL, filed against the Andhra Pradesh government, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), and others, also urged the Court to fix a time frame for an existing Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the alleged adulteration of ghee used in the temple’s prasadam.


A bench comprising Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan heard Dr. Paul, who argued the case in person. Dr. Paul cited the alleged adulteration of ghee—specifically claims that it contained foreign fats, including beef fat and fish oil—as grounds for the plea. The controversy began after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu publicly disclosed a lab report indicating adulteration of ghee provided to Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) during the term of the previous YSRCP government.


Dr. Paul contended that establishing Tirupati as a separate entity would protect religious rights under Articles 25 and 26 of the Indian Constitution. He compared his request to the establishment of the Vatican for Catholics, emphasizing that Tirupati’s 3.4 million population warranted its own territory. However, Justice Gavai dismissed the argument, noting that adopting this stance would imply creating separate states for numerous prominent religious sites across India, including Jagannath Puri, Kedarnath, and Amritsar’s Golden Temple.


The bench confirmed its decision to dismiss the petition and declined to pass any directives regarding the SIT’s investigation timeline. Dr. Paul had requested a time frame of 90 days or six months for the SIT to conclude its probe, as the investigation had not yet commenced. Despite his plea, the Court did not establish a specific timeline.


The case, titled "Dr. K. A. Paul v. Union of India and Ors.," W.P.(C) No. 657/2024, has drawn attention to the sensitive intersection of religious sentiments and governance in India.




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