Devotees Don't Offer Money To Temples For Setting Up Marriage Halls: Top Court
The Supreme Court on Tuesday said the money offered by devotees was not meant for the construction of marriage halls as it upheld an order which said temple funds couldn't be treated as public or government funds.
- Date & Time:
- |
- Views: 16
- |
- From: India News Bull
The Supreme Court will hear the challenge on November 19 without granting any stay orders. (File)
New Delhi:
The Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld a ruling that temple funds cannot be used for building marriage halls, stating that devotees' offerings are not intended for such purposes. The court affirmed the Madras High Court's Madurai bench order which had struck down government directives allowing the construction of marriage halls using funds from five Tamil Nadu temples.
In its August 19 judgment, the high court had determined that constructing marriage halls for rental purposes and wedding functions does not qualify under the definition of "religious purposes."
A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, while hearing appeals against the high court's decision, remarked, "Devotees do not offer their money to the temple for the purpose of setting up these marriage halls. It may be for the improvement of the temple." The justices further questioned, "If there is a marriage party going on in a temple premises and all kinds of vulgar songs are played, is that the purpose of a temple land?" The court suggested that such funds should instead be directed toward charitable endeavors such as education and medical facilities.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi appeared for the petitioners challenging the high court's ruling.
The bench identified the central question as whether the government's decision regarding temple fund utilization was appropriate or not.
Though agreeing to hear the challenge, the Supreme Court scheduled the matter for November 19 without granting any interim relief to the petitioners.
The high court's ruling came in response to a petition challenging government orders that permitted the construction of marriage halls using temple funds.
The government order had referenced an announcement made by the Minister for the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department during an assembly budget speech, stating plans to build marriage halls at 27 temples using approximately Rs 80 crore of temple funds.
The high court petitioner had argued that the government lacked jurisdiction to use temple or surplus funds for constructing marriage halls under the provisions of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act and its related rules.
The petitioner further contended before the high court that temple funds were not intended for commercial purposes, and these government orders violated Sections 35, 36, and 66 of the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1959.
In response, the state's counsel had argued to the high court that Hindu marriages constitute religious activities, and the government's decision to build marriage halls was aimed at helping Hindus conduct marriages with reduced expenses.