Audit by CAG will not take away state rights: MHC
Court said a person with political background should be prohibited from being appointed as trustee of the temple.
Madras High Court (File)
CHENNAI: The audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General on the revenue and expenditure of temples will not take away any right of the State government’s administration, the Madras High Court said.
Disposing of the review petition filed by the Hindu Religious and Charitable endowment department seeking suitable modification and clarification in some directions out of 75 directions given by the high court, the court said a person with political background should be prohibited from being appointed as trustee of the temple.
The directions issued by this court earlier are a step towards protection of not only the places of archaeological importance but also the culture, tradition, properties and the activities associated with such sites including temples, said the bench. All that could be expected of the State government is to take appropriate and continuous action to preserve the temples and their properties left over by the donors, the division bench comprising Justice R Mahadevan and Justice PD Audikesavalu said.
A state-level expert committee has been constituted consisting of 12 members and the same can be reconstituted as the state heritage commission, which may inspect the ongoing works and identify the temples requiring immediate attention for repair, renovation, noted the bench.
The audit as suggested by the court is to independently ascertain whether the accounts are properly maintained; and whether the valuation of work, sanction of funds for repairs, accountability in expenditure and the sum spent are proportionate to the value of work are made properly.
Along with the existing 16 members of the Tamil Nadu Heritage Commission, another member can be included from the HR&CE Department.
A fixed salary is awarded to the trustees of the temples which can be arrived at based on the income of the religious institution. It is nowhere stated that a trustee has to be paid salary, emolument or perquisite or any benefit from and out of the income generated from the religious institution.
All the employees and trustees concerned with the temples are made to be governed by the Tamil Nadu government servants conduct rules there shall be a prohibition for the person with political background to be appointed as a trustee or employee of the temple in any cadre, ruled the bench.
