Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has sent the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Amendment Bill back to the state government, seeking clarification. The governor wrote that the Supreme Court was reviewing a case related to the bill and its amendments.
The governor questioned if the Siddaramaiah government would introduce an additional amendment while the case was still pending before the highest court in the country. More pointedly, the governor asked whether “the state government conceptualised any legislation to encompass other religious bodies in (a) similar fashion as this Bill”.
“It is also perused that the Act and amendments made in the year(s) 2011 and 2012 have been struck down by the High Court Dharwad Bench in WA No 3440/2005. It is informed that the said High Court decision has been challenged in the Supreme Court and the Apex Court has stayed the High Court Order and the case is in the stage of final hearing,” the Raj Bhavan wrote.
“Since the case is still pending in (the) Supreme Court, it is necessary to get more clarification (on) whether the amendment can be made during the pendency of the case, specifically when the entire Act has already been struck down by the High Court & and (the) case in appeal is at the stage of final hearing,” the Raj Bhavan stated in its communique to the state government.
In February of this year, a new amendment was passed requiring the government to gather 10% of the earnings from temples with revenues exceeding Rs 1 crore, and 5% from temples making between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 1 crore. The funds collected will be allocated to the Common Pool Fund to support underprivileged ‘C’ grade temples, as well as to offer various amenities for temple priests and their families.
In response, the Karnataka Minister of Transport and Muzrai Ramalinga Reddy stated that the government would furnish the necessary clarification. “The legal department will provide the clarification. There are two specific clauses, we will elaborate (on) and write to the Raj Bhavan,” he said.
Karnataka is home to a staggering number of 34,563 temples.
- Within Category A, 201 temples boast a gross annual income surpassing Rs 25 lakh.
- Moving on to Category B, there are 139 notified temples whose gross annual income ranges between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 25 lakh.
- Lastly, Category C comprises a whopping 34,223 notified temples with a gross annual income not exceeding Rs 5 lakh.
These temples rely on the government for their day-to-day operations.
