A great news came up for Hindus in the battlefield of freeing Hindu temples from state control. The Karnataka High Court has categorically stated that Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Act 1997 cannot be applied to a Math or a Temple attached to or managed by a Math and therefore the state government does not have the right to regulate them. The observation was made while disposing of a public interest litigation filed by devotees of Sri.Ramachandrapura Math, alleging abuse of powers by seer Raghaveshwara Bharathi Swamiji and seeking investigation into affairs of the Math regarding tax evasion and other offences under the Tax legislations.The bench consisted of the current Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice S Vishwajith Shetty.

The bench observed “The 1997 Act does not apply to the provisions of the Maths. There is a conscious omission on the part of the Legislature in keeping the Maths out of the purview of the Act, which is also evident from the statement of objects and reasons of Karnataka Act No.27 of 2011 namely the Amendment Act.” They further added “The 1997 Act does not apply to the provisions of the Maths. There is a conscious omission on the part of the Legislature in keeping the Maths out of the purview of the Act.”

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