Shelia6340 at 11:28, 6 April 2024

2024-04-06T11:28:20Z

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{{Short description|Shrine Board Act}}
{{Orphan|date=March 2022}}

The '''Uttarakhand Chardham Devasthanam Management Act, 2019''' was enacted by the [[Government of Uttarakhand]] in December 2019. It aims at bringing the [[Chota Char Dham]] of [[Badrinath Temple]], [[Kedarnath Temple]], [[Gangotri Temple]], [[Yamunotri Temple]] and 49 other temples under the purview of a proposed shrine board.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.indiacode.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/16843/1/char_dham_shrine_act_19_egnl.pdf | title=THE UTTARAKHAND CHAR DHAM DEVASTHANAM MANAGEMENT Act, 2019 | access-date=2024-01-18}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/dehradun/ukhand-guv-clears-char-dham-devsthanam-management-bill-2019/articleshow/73254584.cms|title=U'khand guv clears Char Dham Devsthanam Management Bill 2019 | Dehradun News - Times of India|website=The Times of India}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/char-dham-devasthanam-board-u-khand-rethink-on-temple-board-plan-101617992714768.html|title=Char Dham Devasthanam Board: U'khand rethink on temple board plan|date=April 9, 2021|website=Hindustan Times}}</ref>
{{Infobox legislation
| short_title = Uttarakhand Chardham Devasthanam Management Act 2019
| legislature = Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly
| image = Seal of Uttarakhand.svg
| imagesize = 200px
| long_title = An Act to establish a Char Dham Devasthanam Board, which is responsible for the overall management of the Char Dham temples.
| citation = Act No. 06 of 2020
| territorial_extent = [[Uttarakhand]]
| enacted_by = [[Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly]]
| date_enacted = 10 December 2019
| date_assented = 30 December 2019
| date_effective = 30 December 2019
| date_repealed = 30 November 2021
| bill_date = 10 December 2019
| bill = Uttarakhand Chardham Devasthanam Management Bill 2019
| introduced_by = [[Trivendra Singh Rawat]]
| passed_for = 49
| passed_against = 20
| repealed_by = Repealing Act of 2023
| struck_down_by = [[Government of Uttarakhand]]
| status = repealed
}}

== Description ==
As per the act, the shrine board is the highest governing body for the management of the temples with power to frame policies, make decisions to give effect to the provisions of this act, of budget formulation and to sanction expenditure among others. The board may also give instructions for the safe custody, prevention and management of funds, valuable securities, jewellery and properties vested in the temples. The board was also supposed to provide integrated, advanced and smooth services to the devotees. Earlier before the [[Chota Char Dham]] was governed by Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Mandir Samiti which was chaired by a state government appointed person.

== Criticism ==
The Act was widely criticized by the local [[Hindu priest]]s and [[Vishva Hindu Parishad]] Leaders who were against the formation of any board and want that the [[Hindu temple]]s must be governed by the [[Hindus|Hindu society]], not the government. [[Sadhu|Hindu saints]] {{clarify|date=March 2022}} and VHP leaders also protested several times against the act. In July 2020, a [[Public Interest Litigation]] was filed by [[Rajya Sabha]] MP [[Subramanian Swamy]] challenging the constitution validity of the Uttarakhand Chardham Devasthanam Management Act, 2019 and asking to sought a direction striking down the act which was dismissed by the [[Uttarakhand High Court]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2020/feb/24/subramanian-swamy-files-pil-opposing-newly-framed-law-to-govern-temples-in-uttarakhand-2107876.html|title=Subramanian Swamy files PIL opposing newly framed law to govern temples in Uttarakhand|website=The New Indian Express}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/pil-against-char-dham-act-hc-issues-notice-to-uttarakhand-6286794/|title=PIL against Char Dham Act: HC issues notice to Uttarakhand|date=February 26, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/uttarakhand-hc-upholds-constitutional-validity-of-uttarakhand-char-dham-devasthanam-management-act/story-2uN3FHHxImID6j1oj0ORKO.html|title=Uttarakhand HC upholds constitutional validity of Uttarakhand Char Dham Devasthanam Management Act|date=July 21, 2020|website=Hindustan Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.livelaw.in/news-updates/uttarakhand-char-dham-devasthanam-management-act-upheld-160220|title=Uttarakhand HC Upholds Constitutional Validity Of Uttarakhand Char Dham Devasthanam Management Act [Read Judgment]|first=LIVELAW NEWS|last=NETWORK|date=July 21, 2020|website=www.livelaw.in}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://indiankanoon.org/doc/141571749/ | title=Dr. Subramanian Swamy vs State of Uttarakhand and Others on 21 July, 2020 }}</ref>

== Repeal of Uttarakhand Devasthanam Management Act, 2019 ==
In July 2021 [[Pushkar Singh Dhami]] led [[BJP]] government announced the formation of High power committee to review the Uttarakhand Chardham Devasthanam Management Act, 2019 accepting the requests of priests and VHP leaders.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/dehradun/committee-to-look-into-devasthanam-board-priests-call-off-rally/articleshow/84656481.cms|title=Uttarakhand: Committee to look into Devasthanam Board, priests call off rally | Dehradun News - Times of India|website=The Times of India}}</ref> On November 30, 2021 the [[Government of Uttarakhand|Uttarakhand government]] announced the repeal of the act following the report of the High power committee. Politically the withdrawal of act was also seen as a "political stunt" by the [[BJP]] government ahead of the [[2022 Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly election]].<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/uttarakhand-to-repeal-char-dham-devasthanam-board-bill-7648746/|title=Uttarakhand to repeal Char Dham Devasthanam Board Bill|date=December 1, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.news18.com/news/politics/controversial-devasthanam-act-to-be-repealed-uttarakhand-cm-dhami-4503341.html|title=Controversial Devasthanam Act to be Repealed: Uttarakhand CM Dhami|date=November 30, 2021|website=News18}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/uttarakhand-cm-pushkar-singh-dhami-announces-repeal-of-char-dham-devasthanam-board-management-act/2378923/|title=Uttarakhand: CM Pushkar Singh Dhami announces repeal of Char Dham Devasthanam Board Management Act|date=November 30, 2021}}</ref>

== References ==

{{reflist}}

[[Category:2019 in Indian law]]
[[Category:Law about religion in India]]
[[Category: Government of Uttarakhand]]

Uttarakhand Chardham Devasthanam Management Act, 2019 - Revision history

Shelia6340 at 11:28, 6 April 2024