The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which manages the Sri Venkateswara Temple in Tirumala, has initiated legal action against several online platforms and vendors for the unauthorized sale and promotion of products using the name "Tirupati Laddu." This action aims to protect the sanctity and intellectual property of the sacred offering, which holds deep spiritual and cultural value for devotees worldwide.

TTD has served legal notices through Sahadeva Law Chambers to multiple entities, including PushMyCart (Mahita LLC) and Transact Foods Limited, for unauthorized commercial exploitation of the Tirupati Laddu name and falsely associating their products with the temple. These notices highlight the violation of the Geographical Indication (GI) registration of Tirupati Laddu under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999.

The legal notices emphasize that the preparation of the Tirupati Laddu is exclusively done within the Tirumala temple under the supervision of TTD, following a time-honored and sanctified process. Unauthorized use and sale of the name not only infringes legal rights but also undermines the spiritual sanctity of the offering. One of the platforms, PushMyCart, had falsely linked themselves to TTD by listing the body as a "vendor" and claimed to send the Tirupati Laddu prasadam to the USA and other countries. TTD has clarified that the sale of prasadam for commercial purposes by any third party is illegal.

In response to the legal notice, PushMyCart has acknowledged receipt and suspended its product listings pending legal review. Several other vendors have also taken down their listings following TTD's proactive outreach.

TTD Executive Officer J. Syamala Rao stated that the Tirupati Laddu is not just a product but a sacred prasadam with deep spiritual and cultural value. TTD is committed to taking all necessary legal steps to prevent its misuse and to protect the trust of devotees worldwide. This is one of the first instances in India where a temple offering protected under GI law has been defended through formal legal channels on international platforms. TTD has stated it will continue to monitor and act against any such violations to preserve the authenticity and sanctity of temple traditions.

Earlier, in December 2020, TTD had blocked a fake website, www.balajiprasadam.com, which claimed to provide door delivery of Tirupati Laddus across the country at exorbitant prices. A criminal complaint was lodged with the police, alleging that the website operators were using the temple's fame and the laddu's popularity for wrongful gains.