Kochi: The High Court of Andhra Pradesh ratified a temple administration’s decision to dismiss a Hindu staff from service for embracing Christianity by violating laid down norms, media reports said.
Sri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy Varla Devasthanam terminated the staff citing the matter as an act repugnant to the requisites of the religious institution, the reports said.
The Court observed that the termination was in accordance with the constitutional powers, specifically, Article 16(5) of the Constitution of India and the statutory power of Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments office holders and Servant Service Rules, 2000 (AP Rules, 2000).
The Rule 3 of AP Rules, 2000 every officeholder and servants of a religious institution or endowment shall be a person professing the Hindu Religion. The staff, who was appointed on compassionate grounds in 2002, married a Christian in a Cathedral at Nandyal of Kurnool District in 2010.
His appointment was challenged before the Lokayukta and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Office Holders and Servant Service Rules, 2000, accusing the staff of concealing his religion while seeking employment on compassionate grounds following which he was terminated.
Challenging the termination, he claimed that he was a Hindu and claimed that no opportunity was given to him to defend his case during departmental enquiry.
The court rejected his pleas on the grounds that he did not place the marriage certificate on record either before the Enquiry Officer or in the writ petition.
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