( 1 ) THIS writ petition is filed by former trustees of Sri Balaji Eswara Veerabhdra Swamy Temple (hereinafter called "the temple" for short), Tatikonda, Buthpur Mandal, Mahabubnagar District and persons, describing themselves as devotees of the temple.

( 2 ) THE petitioners assail the proceedings of the second respondent dated: 25-9-1992 whereby the second respondent has rejected the objections, inter alia, of the petitioners and has accorded permission to the Executive Officer of the temple to sell the certain specified lands by way of public auction, after following the rules in force.

( 3 ) THE temple is said to own 32. 00 acres of dry and wet lands, of which about 11. 09 gts is in the possession of the 5th respondent who has been a tenant of the said land since a considerable time. Since, the lands were not, in view of the of the Department, fetching adequate return, steps were initiated since the year 1980 to lease out the lands by way of auction in the first instance and thereafter that process not having reached fruition, to dispose of the lands by way of sale and in the process of such deliberations a decision was taken to dispose of the lands by way of sa