TTD should deploy AI in Parakamani process to reduce scope for theft, observes judge of Andhra Pradesh High Court

Justice Gannamaneni Ramakrishna Prasad of the Andhra Pradesh High Court on Tuesday expressed the opinion that the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) should mechanise the process of segregating currency notes and coins, and other offerings made to the God, and counting / assessing their value (Parakamani), while observing that there were multiple instances of theft earlier.

Also, Justice Prasad suggested that the CCTV systems be equipped with AI for better monitoring. He later posted the matter to December 19.

Hearing a batch of writ petitions related to the Parakamani theft case, Justice Prasad noted that AI would bring down human intervention, thereby reducing the scope for theft / misappropriation of money. Besides, he said the TTD should secure the offerings and protect the sentiments of people.

The TTD must refrain from disturbing what the Agama Shastra said about counting, but since it moved out of the temple premises and, consequently, the Agama Shastra might not come in the way, the handling of offerings should be changed from manual to automatic, the judge said, adding that it would be good to stop outsourcing.

Senior counsel Unnam Muralidhar Rao, who appeared on behalf of the advocate-on-record Prudhvi Raj Komara (the implead petitioner for AP Sadhu Parishad), told The Hindu that the judge was emphatic in his observations, and called for suggestions on how to prevent irregularities in the conduct of Parakamani.