Shimla, October 14 — The Himachal Pradesh High Court has issued a detailed order in Civil Writ Petition No. 1834 of 2018 filed by Kashmir Chand Shadyal against the State of Himachal Pradesh and others, directing that funds donated to Hindu temples under the Himachal Pradesh Hindu Public Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Act, 1984 be strictly used for religious and charitable purposes, not for government or unrelated expenditures.
A Division Bench comprising Justice Vivek Singh Thakur and Justice Rakesh Kainthla examined the historical, philosophical, and constitutional aspects of Hindu religious endowments and laid down exhaustive guidelines for the utilization of temple funds under Section 17 of the 1984 Act.
The court held that temple income and donations “cannot be treated like general revenue for the State or general public exchequer,” and specifically prohibited their diversion to government welfare schemes, public works, or VIP-related expenses.
Temple funds, the Bench ruled, must be utilised for purposes such as:propagation of Hindu religion and philosophy,
running educational and research institutions,
training priests and scholars,
organising spiritual and cultural activities,
maintaining temples and pilgrims’ facilities, and
providing social services in line with dharmic principles.
The court also mandated public disclosure of temple accounts, including income, expenditure, and audit summaries, on notice boards and official websites to ensure transparency and accountability.
The order, running over 40 pages, elaborates on the constitutional framework under Article 25, the role of temples in Indian society, and the limits of state involvement in religious affairs, underscoring that state control must be confined to regulating secular and financial aspects without infringing upon faith-based functions.
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