In a significant development to protect temple lands in Tamil Nadu, the Tamil Nadu Assembly passed an amendment to the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1959 on Monday (September 13) that seeks to make encroachment of Temple properties that belong to religious institutions a non-bailable and cognizable offense.
The new law will now allow anyone interested in religious institution matters to file a complaint against the encroachers.
The new amendment was introduced by PK Sekarbabu, Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department and said the encroachment of properties of religious institutions is an issue that is ‘serious in nature. “It is brought to notice of the government that encroachments of properties belonging to religious institutions are on the increase,” Times Now reported the Minister saying.
He added, “Hence, it is considered that criminal complaint may be lodged by any person having interest in the affairs of the religious institution against the encroachers. The government have, therefore, decided to make the above said offence as cognisable and non-bailable and to amend section 79-B of the said Act for the purpose.”
Before this amendment was passed, only the commissioner of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department was empowered to file a complaint against the encroachment of temple land and that was a major impediment.
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