Karnataka Governor returns amendments to Endowments Bill
Move comes as a setback to the Congress government; the amendments seek to draw more money from rich temples to provide aid to poor ones
In a setback to the Congress government, amendments to the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Act, 1997, that were cleared in the recently concluded Budget session amid opposition from the BJP, has been returned by Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot.
Seeking clarifications on the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments (Amendment) Bill, 2024, the Governor has sought to know if the State government has conceptualised any legislation to encompass other religious bodies in similar fashion. The Governor’s move is the first such since the Congress government came to power in May 2023, and comes close to the Lok Sabha election.
The Governor has also pointed out that amendments brought to the Bill earlier in 2011 and 2012 had been struck down by the Dharwad Bench of the Karnataka High Court. The High Court’s decision has been challenged in the Supreme Court, which has stayed the High Court order. The case is in the stage of final hearing, he said. It is necessary to get more clarification on whether the amendments can be made while the case is pending, his office informed the State government while returning the Bill.
Meanwhile, speaking to reporters, Muzrai Minister Ramalinga Reddy said that issues raised will be clarified to the Governor.
The amendments to the Endowment Act, to expand social security measures to over 40,000 archakas (temple caretakers) in Muzrai temples and also develop C category temples using funds from the income of richer temples, had been defeated in the Legislative Council by the combined opposition of BJP and Janata Dal (Secular) before it was passed again by the Legislative Assembly and cleared by the Council during the recently concluded Budget session.
With the Bill, the State government proposed to seek 10% of the gross income of 87 temples with annual income of over ₹1 crore and 5% of gross income from 311 temples with an annual income of over ₹10 lakh to be transferred to a Common Pool Fund, administered by Rajya Dharmika Parishath. It proposed to utilise the money for the welfare of archakas and development of over 34,000 ‘C’ category temples whose annual income is less than ₹5 lakh.
The proposal was to bring an amendment to an earlier amendment in 2011 where 5% of the net income of temples with annual income between ₹5 lakh and ₹10 lakh, and 10% of the net income of temples with annual income of over ₹10 lakh, would come to the fund.
The government is hoping to collect approximately ₹60 crore from the move of which ₹25 crore would be spent on developing C category temples.
The BJP argued that since the government already provides approximately ₹170 crore to Muzrai department, it should allocate money to temple development and archakas’ welfare from the budgetary allocation rather than levy more tax on richer temples. It also said instead of seeking money from the gross collection of temples, the government should take money from the net income.