BHUBANESWAR: The state government has decided to amend the Odisha Hindu Religious Endowments Act, 1951, for strengthening administration and management of maths and temples.
A high-level meeting was chaired by Law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan at Lok Seva Bhawan on Monday to deliberate on the proposed amendments and the modalities of reforms.
Briefing mediapersons after the meeting, Harichandan said a final decision had been taken to amend the legislation and a proposal will be placed in the Assembly in the upcoming monsoon session.
“A draft framework for the proposed amendment has been prepared under the guidance of the Law Commission. The meeting discussed updating several unnecessary or outdated provisions and sub-sections of the existing law in line with present-day requirements,” he said.
Among the key issues discussed were rationalisation of the powers and functions of the commissioner, additional commissioner and authorised officers, restructuring of the endowments department cadre and creation of new posts to strengthen its administrative capacity.
“The proposed amendments will provide a more effective statutory framework for supervision and management of religious institutions and their properties, besides improving administrative and financial management,” he said.
The Odisha Hindu Religious Endowments Act, 1951, is the principal legislation governing Hindu public religious institutions and endowments in the state. Though enacted in 1951, it came into force on January 1, 1955 and has undergone several amendments over the years. The last change was made through the Odisha Hindu Religious Endowments (Amendment) Act, 2018, which revised provisions relating to framing of administrative schemes for religious institutions.
The proposed reform assumes significance as several provisions of the decades-old legislation have remained unchanged despite evolving legal and administrative requirements. Issues relating to trusteeship, succession, management schemes and powers of statutory authorities have also been the subject of legal proceedings in recent years. Non-hereditary trust boards and succession to the office of trustees of maths and specific endowments have also been taken to the Orissa High Court
Law commissioner Justice Biswanath Rath, Principal secretary Law Pabitra Mohan Samal, Endowments commissioner Satya Narayan Sarangi and senior officials were present at the meeting.