Watchdog Body for Muzrai Temples with Rs 50 Lac Income a Year

From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, May 25: Getting down to business after the successful end of save Government campaign, the B S Yeddyurappa regime has decided to constitute a state-level religious council for monitoring functioning of muzrai temples earning income above Rs 50 lakh per annum.

The state-level watchdog body is being constituted after obtaining the assent of Governor H R Bhardwaj to the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments (Amendment) Bill, 2011, which was passed by both houses of State legislature.

The state-level religious council, which would be headed by the State Muzrai Minister would cover all temples coming under the jurisdiction of the Department, while the remaining temples would be controlled by the District-level religious council headed by the respective Deputy Commissioners of the districts, according to Dr V S Acharya, who controls the Muzrai Department.

The State-level religious council would be covering about 150 major temples having annual income of Rs 50 lakh or more, Dr Acharya said.

The state and district level Dharmika Parishat (religious council) envisaged in the Act would administer affairs of the muzrai temples and not come in the way of functioning of Hindu denomination temples, mutts and temples under mutts, temples where hereditary rights are conferred on persons to run their affairs.

Explaining the chronological events that led to the formulation of such a legislation, he said the Karnataka High Court had struck down the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Act 1997.

The Supreme Court had stayed the operation of the judgment of the High Court and permitted enforcement of the Act, except Section 25 following an appeal filed by the State Government. The Act has been amended based on the Supreme Court’s verdict, he said.

The other provisions of the law included protection of hereditary rights of temple trustees as well as priests and temple servants and to allow their legal heirs to continue the service, constitution of a State-level architectural committee to monitor development work in temples and prohibiting collection of donations from the general public by private organisations and individuals in the name of temples.

The minister said the government had released Rs 180 crore for renovation of temples across the State during 2010-11.