Allow Tirupati temple to exchange Rs 8.29 crore old notes says plea in SC

Ramanmurthy contended that not accepting public money for charity and services infringes the devotees’ fundamental right to practice their religion.

A plea has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking to allow the Sri Tirumala Tirupati Venkateshwara temple to exchange Rs 8.29 crore of demontised notes. The plea says that the notes donated by devotees in demonetised currency needs to be exchanged and hence a directive be issued to the government.

The plea says that several crores of notes in the denomination of Rs 500 and 1,000 were found in the donation boxes. The authorities missed the deadline of December 30 to exchange the notes.

The pilgrims and devotees offerings made to Lord Venkateshwara Swami was not accepted/redeemed by Reserve Bank of India, due to which about Rs 8.29 crore consisting of old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes were packed and kept in boxes with Tirumala Tirupati Devastanam, the petition said. The petitioner said collections at temples in Chennai and Hyderabad are deposited in banks once a week, but it is done once in six months in the other places.

Ramanmurthy contended that not accepting public money for charity and services infringes the devotees' fundamental right to practice their religion. He said the board will be unable to utilise the money for its services. Besides, possession of demonetised money is a criminal offence.

OneIndia News