Andhra Pradesh High Court asks government to file counter on salaries to pastors

Nelapadu (Amaravati): The Division Bench of the Andhra Pradesh High Court comprising Chief Justice Aroop Kumar Goswamy and Justice Nainala Jayasurya directed the advocate general S Sriram to file the counter in three weeks on the petition which challenged the GO MS No 52 intended to pay monthly salaries to the pastors in the state.

Yicharla Anil Kumar on behalf of the Legal Rights Protection Forum filed the public interest litigation challenging the impugned GO. Appearing for the petitioner, advocate J V Phaniduth Chanakya argued that spending public money on the salaries of the pastors is against the Article 27 of the Constitution. He said that the GO was intended to appease people of a particular community. It is not for the state to transfer the burden of pastors and other religious workers on to the public, he pointed out.

Moreover, the issuance of the GO is discriminatory as salaries to the Archakas are being paid from the money collected from Hindus and salaries to Imams and pastors are being paid from the public exchequer.

The advocate general appearing for the state sought time to file the counter.