MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court recently observed that the time has come to include the church’s properties within scope of Section 22-A of the TN Registration Act, 1908.
Justice G R Swaminathan, while directing the district registrar of Sivaganga to register the sale deed presented by the petitioner Shalin for 1,345 sq ft of land in Tirupattur town in Sivaganga district, said the division bench of the Madras High Court, in 2017, stated that the properties endowed in favour of the Tamil Evangelical Lutheran Church should not be registered without obtaining permission from the high court. The IG of Registration issued a circular in this regard, which led the registrar department to refuse a check slip to the petitioner.
As per 22-A of the Tamil Nadu Registration Act, immovable properties belonging to, given or endowed for any religious institution are covered under the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, while Wakf properties fall under the Wakf Board. However, no properties of the church got such similar protection.
As India is a secular country, the state must approach all religions alike and it is time to include the church properties within the scope of Section 22-A, the court stated.
‘Allow Chennai residents to visit beaches at night’
Chennai: The Madras High Court has directed the DGP and Chennai commissioner to respond to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition seeking to direct the police department to allow the public to enter city beaches and parks late at night.
The petitioner, R K Jaleel, mentioned that city residents throng beaches and parks due to the scorching summer heat, but police chase them away during nighttime. Sharing his own experience, Jaleel mentioned that he had recently visited Thiruvanmiyur Beach along with 13 of his family members, including children.
However, around 9.30 pm, police began chasing people away, asking them to vacate the beach. He noted that they were also hurling abuses at them. For people from economically weaker sections, who cannot afford air conditioners, going to beaches and parks are the only means to escape the summer heat, he added. ENS