E-Paper
Centre extends deputation of TTD executive officer
The central government extends the deputation of senior IDES officer A V Dharma Reddy as TTD executive officer up to June 30, amidst opposition allegations of favoritism.
The central government has extended the deputation of senior Indian Defence Estates Service (IDES) officer A V Dharma Reddy, as the executive officer of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) that administers Lord Venkateshwara Swamy temple on Tirumala in Andhra Pradesh’s Chittoor district by six weeks, people familiar with the matter said.
In a communication to the state on Saturday, deputy secretary to the Union defence ministry Debasweta Banik said the appointments committee of the Union cabinet had approved the proposal of the department of defence for extension of the term of deputation of Dharma Reddy as TTD executive officer for a period of six more weeks.
The term of Dharma Reddy who has been on deputation to the TTD since 2019, will end by May 14. But following a letter from chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, the Centre approved the extension of his deputation up to June 30, which is also date of his retirement on attaining the age of superannuation.According to a CMO official who preferred anonymity, Jagan wrote to Union defence minister Rajnath Singh in March, seeking extension of services of Dharma Reddy till June end, as the government would not be able to appoint a new officer in his place after his deputation ends in May due to enforcement of model code of conduct for the ongoing general elections.
Jagan pointed out that there will be heavy rush of pilgrims to Tirumala during the summer days and if there is no full-time EO for the TTD, it would cause a lot of problems. So, it would be better if Dharma Reddy is continued as EO till June 30, he requested.
However, the opposition parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies – Telugu Desam Party and Jana Sena Party – have been opposing the continuation of Dharma Reddy as the TTD executive officer, alleging that he had been favouring the ruling YSRCP.
On April 1, BJP state president Daggubati Purandeshwari wrote to the Election Commission of India, requesting that Dharma Reddy be shifted from the TTD, as he has been influencing the voters in favour of the YSRCP.
“He is still entertaining the recommendations of the YSRCP leaders for special darshan of the deity. If he continues in the post, he would favour the ruling party,” she said.
Telugu Desam Party official spokesman Kommareddy Pattabhi issued a statement on April 8, saying Dharma Reddy had been on deputation to the TTD for nine years, in two terms – 2005 to 2009 and again from 2019 till date, due to his proximity with former chief minister late Y S Rajasekhar Reddy and now Jagan Mohan Reddy.
He, too, wrote a letter to chief electoral officer M K Meena on April 8 requesting him to initiate appropriate action against Dharma Reddy for allegedly taking decisions that favoured leaders of the YSRCP, including release of temple funds for undertaking civic works in Tirupati.
Dharma Reddy could not be reached for his reaction.
