Controversy over picking of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam Executive Officer

Hyderabad: It was just a proposal, but it triggered a controversy. The AP government has proposed Anil Kumar Singhal, the resident commissioner of AP Bhavan, New Delhi, for the post of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) Executive Officer (EO). Senior IAS officers are opposing the proposal, but top politicians are pressuring the government to make the appointment.

Barring one or two exceptions, the government has always appointed IAS officers who belong to Andhra Pradesh to the TTD executive officer’s post. Those opposed to the appointment say the TTD EO should understand Hindu culture and TTD conventions, and it is very difficult for an IAS officer from North India to understand the TTD conventions and culture. Mr Singhal is an Andhra Pradesh cadre, 1993 batch IAS officer from Himachal Pradesh.

TTD’s Veda Pundit, Vadlamani Subbayya Avadhani, said that governments have always appointed AP IAS officers as EOs of TTD and the present government should also do the same.

Speaking to DC, he said that a North Indian will face many problems, particularly that of language.

Telugu Desam Party MLAs are also opposing the proposal. A senior Telugu Desam MLA from Chittoor district said only Telugu IAS officers should be appointed, otherwise there will be problems. He said they will bring this to the notice of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.

A senior IAS officer said the government has not yet taken a decision on changing the TTD's executive officer and it is only at the proposal stage.

If Mr Singhal is appointed EO, the current EO, D. Sambasiva Rao, will be appointed Principal Secretary in the revenue department.