Senior YSR Congress Party leader and former Andhra Pradesh minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy faced a legal setback in the Supreme Court on Monday in connection with the Buggamatham land dispute.
The apex court declined to stay the orders issued by a single bench of the Andhra Pradesh High Court. A bench comprising Justices K V Viswanathan and N Kotiswar Singh heard the matter, with senior advocate Maninder Singh representing Peddireddy.
However, the Supreme Court made it clear that it would not examine the merits of the case, as the matter is already pending before the Andhra Pradesh High Court.
The court advised that the issue be resolved at the high court level and ordered the status quo to be maintained for two weeks. It also noted that a final decision could be considered after the High Court’s division bench delivers its verdict.
The Buggamatham lands, located in the heart of Tirupati, are historically significant, having been donated by the Chandragiri kings for religious and charitable purposes.
The Endowments Department accused Peddireddy and four others of encroaching on 3.88 acres of Buggamatham land (Survey Nos. 261/1 and 261/2) and fencing it off to block public access.
Peddireddy has denied the allegations, claiming that the land in question was purchased by his younger brother, Tamballapalle MLA Peddireddy Dwarakanath Reddy.
However, a joint survey conducted by the Revenue and Endowments Departments in May reportedly confirmed that the land had been encroached upon by the Peddireddy family.
With this development, all eyes are now on the Andhra Pradesh High Court’s upcoming ruling, which will be crucial in determining the outcome of the Buggamatham land dispute.
The Supreme Court's refusal to grant relief has reportedly caused unease within the YSR Congress Party.
