The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, on 23 October 2024, directed the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and Tamil Nadu’s Chief Secretary to present their stance on creating a statutory body to regulate Christian institutions. Justice N Sathish Kumar issued the directive while hearing multiple petitions related to the appointment of a correspondent at Scott Christian College, Kanniyakumari, and the handling of employee salaries.
The judge highlighted that, unlike Hindu and Muslim charitable endowments, Christian institutions lack comprehensive statutory regulation. He observed that the court has encountered frequent instances of mismanagement and misuse of church assets and funds, often used by those in power to defend their positions through litigation. Although courts periodically appoint temporary administrators, the judge emphasized the need for a permanent statutory board to ensure accountability in Christian institutions.
The petitions included one filed by Baiju Nijat Pal from Nagercoil, who claimed a court order to appoint him as college correspondent had not been implemented. The judge also addressed accusations against a CSI bishop for allegedly blocking an appointment without proven grounds, noting that such arbitrary decisions seemed to stem from internal rules meant to maintain control over the administration.
Justice Kumar stressed the importance of safeguarding assets and funds of Christian institutions, given their significant public contributions to education and healthcare. He concluded by directing the Union and state governments to submit detailed reports on establishing a regulatory board for Christian institutions and adjourned the case to 18 November 2024 for further hearing.
(With inputs from TNIE)
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