Make Waqf-like board for Hindu religious bodies: Allahabad High Court

The Hindustan Times
June 6, 2006

Make Waqf-like board for Hindu religious bodies: HC

Press Trust of India

Allahabad, June 6, 2006

The Allahabad High Court on Tuesday asked the Centre and Uttar Pradesh to prepare a scheme for constitution of a Board for Hindu religious organisations on the pattern of the UP Muslim Waqf Board.

Passing the order, Justice SN Srivastava said the Board so constituted shall be an autonomous body and it will register all such religious and charitable establishments and endowments according to the norms represented by mutts, monasteries, temples and religious and charitable trusts or societies, as the case may be, through their heads.

The Centre as well as the state government may also frame schemes for providing minimum wages and other welfare measures for those working in temples, the court added.

The judgement was passed on a writ petition filed by Shree Satya Narain Tulsi Manas Mandir at Varanasi.

The court said that the schemes so framed may be placed before the court on September nine.

The court was of the view that though provisions of Minimum Wages Act were not applicable to temple as it is not an industry, fair wages cannot be denied merely on the ground that the establishment or institution is of a religious or charitable nature or that persons who are engaged are 'sevadars' or employees at the pleasure of management.