11 Executive Officers and the Endowments Act · 11.1 Executive Officers and the Endowments Act
11.1.4 Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams under the Act
TTD, the temples of the First Schedule and the institutions of the Second Schedule treated as one religious institution, is governed by Chapter XIV (Sections 95–131) of the Endowments Act: a Government-appointed Board of up to 29 members sets policy, an Executive Committee administers, and the Executive Officer, of District Collector rank, is its chief administrative officer.
- APPSC Paper I
- Standard level
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Core facts
- S.2(28): TTD = the temples in the First Schedule with their endowments and properties + the educational and other institutions in the Second Schedule, together one religious institution.
- Chapter XIV = Sections 95 to 131 apply specially to TTD; the rest of the Act applies subject to them (S.95).
- History: Mahants of the Hathiramji Mutt ran Tirumala from 1843 to 1933; then the TTD Act of 1932 (Madras Act XIX of 1933); the TTD Act, 1979; then Act 30 of 1987.
- Board (S.96): up to 29 members including the Chairman (raised from 19 by Act 1 of 2020). Ex-officio: the Revenue (Endowments) Secretary or Principal Secretary, the Commissioner of Endowments, the TUDA Chairman; the EO is ex-officio Member Secretary. Also 3 MLAs, one SC member, one woman, one philanthropist. All must be Hindus.
- Executive Committee (S.97-A): Board Chairman presides; Commissioner ex-officio member; EO Member Secretary; 5 Board members nominated by the Government.
- Special invitees (Act 1 of 2023): up to 5 to the Board (S.97-C) and up to 50 to TTD for pilgrim welfare (S.97-D); no vote.
- EO of TTD: appointed by the Government (S.106); must be of District Collector rank (S.107); term 3 years, eligible for one more (S.108); he is the chief administrative officer of TTD (S.109, asked 2023).
- Extraordinary powers (S.110): initiated by the EO (asked 2023), reported to the Executive Committee.
- Suits: the EO represents TTD in suits and legal proceedings (asked 2023).
- TTD budget is sanctioned by the Government (asked 2026).
Explained
From the Mahants to the 1987 Act.
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| Pallava to Vijayanagara times | Kings endow the temple; Krishnadevaraya visits Tirumala several times |
| 1843 | East India Company gives management to the Hathiramji Mutt Mahants |
| 1932–33 | TTD Act (Madras Act XIX of 1933): a committee with a paid Commissioner appointed by the Madras Government |
| 1951, 1966 | TTD comes under the Madras Act of 1951, then the A.P. Act of 1966 |
| 1979 | A separate TTD Act, 1979 |
| 1987 | Act 30 of 1987 repeals it; TTD gets Chapter XIV |
| 1991 | Act 26 of 1990 creates the Executive Committee (Ss.97-A, 97-B) |
The Board and the Committee.
| Body | Section | Make-up | Job |
|---|---|---|---|
| TTD Board | S.96, S.97 | Up to 29 incl. Chairman | Policy; reviews pilgrim facilities and welfare |
| Executive Committee | S.97-A, S.97-B | Chairman + Commissioner + EO + 5 | Administration vests in it; fixes fees for archana and sevas; fixes the dittam; may delegate to the EO |
| Special invitees | S.97-C, S.97-D | ≤5 (Board), ≤50 (TTD) | Advice only; no vote; term = Board's |
- Terms and rules for members (Ss.98–105): Sections 18 and 19 (qualifications, disqualifications) apply; term 2 years at the Government's pleasure; no salary, only honorarium and allowances; resignation in writing to the EO; absence from 3 consecutive meetings without the Chairman's leave ends membership; the Government may suspend or remove a member.
- TTD Board vs ordinary boards: ordinary temple boards follow S.15 (17, 13, 11, 9, 7 members); TTD follows S.96.
The EO and the senior officers (Ss.106–110).
| Post | Qualification (S.107) |
|---|---|
| Executive Officer | Is or was a District Collector, or of a rank not lower |
| Joint Executive Officer | Is or was a Joint Collector, or of a rank not lower |
| Special Grade Deputy EO | At least 3 years as Deputy EO in TTD |
| Financial Adviser and Chief Accounts Officer, Chief Engineer, Chief Vigilance and Security Officer | As prescribed |
- S.106: the Government appoints all of them; they must be Hindus, are full-time, and are paid from TTD funds.
- S.108: EO and JEO hold office for 3 years and may be reappointed for another term.
- S.109: the EO is the chief administrative officer, under the Executive Committee's guidance and control; he keeps the property records, arranges collection of offerings in the First Schedule temples, and may delegate to the JEO or Special Grade Deputy EO.
- S.110: in an emergency the EO may order work not provided in the budget to protect TTD property or for the service and safety of pilgrims, paid from TTD funds, and must report at once to the Executive Committee.
Money, institutions and Tirumala (Ss.111–131).
| Section | Provision |
|---|---|
| S.111 | TTD fund: hundi, donations and all receipts; kept in banks, treasury or approved securities |
| S.112 | Hindu Dharma Prachara Parishad |
| S.113 | Sri Venkateswara Sishtachara Vidya Samstha (Vedic and shastra learning) |
| S.114 | Civic administration of the Tirumala hills, by the EO in the notified area; begging, liquor, meat, gambling and touting can be banned |
| S.115 | Government may take over or transfer Second Schedule institutions |
| S.116 | Budget: EO prepares, Executive Committee and Board approve, Government sanctions |
| S.117 | Accounts and audit, by an auditor the Government appoints |
| S.118 | Encroachment: amended S.83 applies |
| S.120 | Appeals: against the EO or JEO to the Executive Committee, then to the Government, each within 90 days |
| S.121, S.122 | Government revision; review within 90 days |
| S.123 | Pre-emption: TTD may buy property on the Tirumala hills offered for sale, at the same price |
| S.124 | Oath of Board and Committee members, administered by the EO |
| S.125 | Administration report within 3 months of the year's end |
| S.126 | Meetings: Chairman presides, the Commissioner in his absence |
| S.129 | Suits by or against TTD; the EO represents it |
| S.131 | Annual inspection by an officer senior to the EO, nominated by the Government |
TTD in the rest of the Act.
- The TTD EO is one of the four official members of the Dharmika Parishad (S.152).
- Sannidhi Yadavs of TTD keep their hereditary rights (S.34(4), Act 26 of 2020).
- Act 30 of 2021: TTD pays ₹40 crore a year to the Common Good Fund and ₹5 crore to the archakas' welfare fund (S.161), each raised 10% every five years.
Common traps
- ✗ "The TTD Board has 19 members." ✓ Up to 29 including the Chairman, since Act 1 of 2020.
- ✗ "The TTD EO is appointed by the Commissioner under S.29." ✓ By the Government under S.106.
- ✗ "The TTD EO chairs the Board." ✓ He is the ex-officio Member Secretary; the Chairman chairs.
- ✗ "The Commissioner sanctions TTD's budget." ✓ The Government does.
- ✗ "Special invitees vote in Board meetings." ✓ They advise only; no vote.
- ✗ "The Executive Committee is chaired by the EO." ✓ By the Board Chairman; the EO is Member Secretary.
- ✗ "TTD's EO must be of Joint Collector rank." ✓ District Collector rank; the JEO is of Joint Collector rank.
- ✗ "Section 110 powers belong to the Commissioner." ✓ To the TTD EO.
- ✗ "The Mahants ran TTD until independence." ✓ From 1843 to 1933.
Quick revision
- S.2(28): First Schedule temples + Second Schedule institutions = one religious institution.
- Chapter XIV = Ss.95–131.
- Mahants of Hathiramji Mutt 1843–1933; TTD Act 1932 (Madras Act XIX of 1933); TTD Act 1979; Act 30 of 1987.
- Board: up to 29 incl. Chairman (Act 1 of 2020); Commissioner, Revenue Secretary, TUDA Chairman ex-officio; EO Member Secretary.
- Executive Committee: Chairman, Commissioner, EO, 5 members; fixes fees and dittam.
- Special invitees: ≤5 to Board, ≤50 to TTD; no vote (Act 1 of 2023).
- EO: Government appoints (S.106), Collector rank (S.107), 3 years + one more (S.108), chief administrative officer (S.109).
- S.110 emergency works by the EO, reported to the Committee.
- Budget sanctioned by Government; appeals EO → Committee → Government, 90 days each.
- S.123 pre-emption on Tirumala hills; S.131 annual inspection by an officer senior to the EO.
Go deeper: Deeper (beyond what APPSC Paper I usually asks)
Deeper Advanced
- Why TTD is a single institution. Treating Tirumala, Tiruchanur, the Govindaraja temple and dozens of other shrines, schools, colleges and hospitals as one religious institution lets one fund (S.111) cross-subsidise them, and keeps them out of the normal Section 6 lists.
- The mirasidars. Before 1987 hereditary mirasidar families held shares in Tirumala's offerings under a 30-5-1979 agreement with TTD. S.144 abolished such shares and S.160(2) overrode the agreement; the Supreme Court upheld this in A.S. Narayana Deekshitulu (1996).
- Non-Hindu visitors. TTD's rules require a non-Hindu entering the Tirumala temple to sign a declaration of faith in Lord Venkateswara.
- Courts and the Board's limits. The High Court held (1997) that the Board and the EO only manage the Lord's properties and cannot act against the sanctity of Tirumala; the Government could not direct the Board to allow film shooting on the hills.
- Earlier board sizes. The 1966 Act, then 1987 and later amendments, raised the Board step by step; the current cap of 29 dates from Act 1 of 2020 (in force from 12-9-2019).
Practise this topic. Questions on Act framework: classification, trustees, Commissioner, Dharmika Parishad, with answers explained.
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