THE HON’BLE MR JUSTICE L. NARASIMHA REDDY Writ Petition No.8631 of 2010 ORDER: The petitioners are cultivating different extents of land held by Sri Nageshwara Swamyvari Temple, Pothaminagallu Village, Buchireddypalem Mandal, Nellore District. The Assistant Commissioner of Endowments, the 3rd respondent, and the Authorities of the Temple, have initiated steps for conducting auction of leasehold rights of the lands. The petitioners state that they are long standing tenants and that there exists a crop on the lands and seek stay of the auction. Heard learned counsel for the petitioners, learned Government Pleader for Endowments and learned Standing Counsel for the Temple. Section 82 of the A.P. Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Act, 1987, brought about statutory termination of leases, in respect of agricultural lands held by Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments. Therefore, the petitioners cannot claim to be having valid lease, after the said statutory termination. In fairly large number of matters, this Court directed that even where a tenant is holding over, the leasehold rights in respect of the lands held by religious institutions need to be put to auction and the existing tenants may be given an opportunity to participate therein provided there are no arrears for the previous years. It was further directed that in case they do not emerge as highest bidders, but are willing to pay the amount that is fetched as highest bid, a fresh lease can be granted in their favour duly imposing the relevant conditions. Hence, the Writ Petition is disposed of, directing that, a) the proposed auction may go on and it shall be open to the petitioners to participate in it; b) in case the petitioners emerge as highest bidders or if they are willing to pay the amount that is fetched as highest bid, fresh lease shall be granted in their favour provided there are no arrears of rent from them for the previous years; c) if the petitioners do not emerge as the highest bidders, or are not willing to pay the highest bid amount, they shall be liable to vacate the land soon after the existing crop is harvested. There shall be no order as costs. _____________________ L. NARASIMHA REDDY, J. Dt.16.04.2010. GJ