Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) has initiated disciplinary action against 18 employees for participating in "non-Hindu" religious activities while also being involved in TTD festivals and rituals. Under the direction of TTD Chairman BR Naidu, the affected employees have been offered two options: either transfer to government departments or apply for the Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS). Failure to comply with these options will result in further disciplinary action.

The TTD management stated that the decision is in line with its commitment to preserving the "spiritual sanctity of its temples and religious practices."
Bhanu Prakash, TTD Board Member & BJP Leader on TTD non-Hindu employees, said, "In TTD there are many people who are in paper Hindus and practising Christianity. This doesn’t work in TTD. In the first board meeting, the TTD Chairman and all our Board Members brought in a resolution saying Non-Hindus should quit the TTD Board. Yesterday we identified 18 members who are Non-Hindus of which two are Hindus we have asked EO to look into it. After vigilance inquiry show cause will be given. Around 500 more Non-Hindus are working in TTD and we are ready to send them out."
Earlier TTD Chairman BRS Naidu, while speaking exclusively to Times Now had said that, very soon all non-Hindu employees of TTD will be identified and will be given VRS or transferred to other departments.
TTD, an independent government trust, manages the Tirumala Venkateswara temple in Tirupati, which is known as the world’s richest Hindu shrine.
Over the years, the TTD Act has been amended three times to specify that only Hindus can be employed by the temple board and its affiliated institutions. A government order from 1989 further reinforced this, stating that only Hindus could be appointed to TTD-administered posts.
This decision is supported by Article 16(5) of the Constitution, which allows religious institutions to employ only members of their faith. Additionally, Rule 3 of the AP Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Subordinate Service Rules mandates that employees of religious institutions must profess the Hindu faith.
The legal standing of this requirement was further solidified by the Andhra Pradesh High Court in November 2023, when it upheld Rule 3, affirming that trust boards have the authority to enforce service conditions, including the requirement for employees to follow the Hindu religion.