Another High-Level Committee Constituted on Tirumala Laddu Ghee Row
The committee has been directed to submit its report within one week from the date of issuance of the order
TIRUPATI: The state government has constituted a high-level committee to examine and implement the recommendations of the one-man commission that probed the alleged adulteration of ghee used in the preparation of Srivari laddu prasadam at Tirumala.
Chief Secretary G. Sai Prasad issued G.O. No. 900 on Thursday appointing the committee to study the findings and recommendations of the one-man probe into procurement and quality issues relating to ghee supplied to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams.
The government had earlier constituted the one-man commission, headed by retired IAS officer Dinesh Kumar through G.O. No. 458 on February 20, 2026. The commission submitted its report to the government on April 24, 2026. According to the G.O. 900, the commission report highlighted systemic deficiencies, procedural lapses, and accountability issues in the procurement process. It made several recommendations for corrective measures.
The commission observed that tender conditions strengthened in 2019 to ensure quality and supplier eligibility had later been diluted without proper justification. The report also pointed to lapses in scrutiny of complaints, acceptance of abnormally low bids, and failure to enforce food safety norms. It flagged the suppression of a 2022 laboratory report by the Central Food Technological Research Institute that allegedly indicated adulteration in ghee samples.
The panel stated that more than 70 lakh kg of ghee used in preparation of laddus had been procured without mandatory quality testing. The commission described this as a systemic failure. The panel reportedly recommended reforms in procurement and governance systems, including strengthening quality-control mechanisms, mandatory laboratory testing of consignments, vendor empanelment, improved vigilance oversight, and transparency in disclosure of test reports and supplier details.
The high-level committee constituted by the government on Thursday will be headed by the AP Chief Secretary. The Director General of Police (HoPF) will be a member, while the Secretary (Law Department) will serve as member-convener.
The government has directed the committee to examine the findings and recommendations of the one-man commission from the perspective of actionable outcomes and recommend administrative, disciplinary, and legal action wherever necessary.
The panel has been asked to prepare a prioritised implementation plan with timelines and suggest a monitoring mechanism for effective implementation of the decisions taken by the government.
The committee has been directed to submit its report within one week from the date of issuance of the order.
