The Supreme Court asked the TTD administration not to take up the gold plating project of the sanctum sanctorum of the Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirumala with out informing it. “Before you decide on the crucial issue of gold plating the temple, inform us in advance,” the SC told the TTD administration as well as the state government of AP.
 
The orders were passed on Tuesday when the Janata Party president Dr Subramanyam Swamy filed a petition in the court requesting it to allow him to become a party to the case.

The Supreme Court had earlier stayed the orders of the state high court which struck down the idea of gold plating on the ground that it would destroy the antique value of the temple and endanger the very safety of the ancient temple structure.

Adikesavulu Naidu, TTD former chairman challenged the high court order and the Apex court stayed the operation of the High Court orders and asked the TTD to file its counter.

Meanwhile, Subramanyam Swamy filed his petition to admit him as a party in the case and expressed the fear that the TTD may go ahead with the project since the stay was vacated. At this juncture, the SC asked the state government and the TTD to inform it in advance before taking up the project.

Appearing for TTD, senior counsel K K Venugopal assured the court that it would not do any such thing and said in fact the TTD had also filed a petition in the court saying that the gold plating project had been shelved.