Karnataka Guv Thaawarchand Gehlot reserves temple bill for Presidential assent
Bengaluru, May 24 (PTI): Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has reserved the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments (Amendment) Bill, one which aims to benefit priests serving in low income temples, for the assent of the President.
The bill was passed by the Karnataka Assemby on March 6, 2024 and submitted to the Governor afresh on May 16, 2025.
It aims to enhance the common pool of funds from the high income generating temples and improve the lives of priests serving in low income temples, a source in the Religious Endowment Department said.
Karnataka Religious Endowment Minister Ramalinga Reddy had earlier said that there are 3,000 C-Grade temples in the state which have less than Rs five lakh income from where 'Dharmika Parishad' gets no money.
Dharmika Parishad is a committee to improve the temple management for the benefit of pilgrims.
There are B-grade temples with income between Rs five lakh and Rs 25 lakh from where five per cent of the gross income has been going to the Dharmika Parishad since 2003, he explained.
The Dharmika Parishad has been getting 10 per cent of revenue from those temples whose gross income was above Rs 25 lakh since 2003, the Minister said.
"Now what we have done is we have made it free from paying to Dharmika Parishad if the income is up to Rs 10 lakh. We have made provisions to collect five per cent from temples whose gross income is between Rs 10 lakh and less than one crore. Ten per cent of the income will be collected from temples whose income is above Rs one crore. All this amount will reach the Dharmika Parishad," Reddy had said.
The Minister had said there were 40,000 to 50,000 priests in the state whom the state government wants to help.
"If the money reaches Dharmika Parishad then we can provide them insurance cover. We want their families to get at least Rs five lakh if something happens to them. To pay the premium we need Rs seven crore to Rs eight crore," he explained.
The Minister said the government wants to provide scholarships to children of temple priests, which would require Rs five crore to Rs six crore annually.
This entire amount will benefit the temple priests only, many of whom are in poor condition, he explained.
The bill proposes grant in aid to the religious institutions of notified category-C only, which is less income or in needy circumstances.
It proposes that four general members of the management committee should be skilled in Vishwakarma Hindu temple architecture and sculpture.
"I am of the opinion that instead of giving assent to the proposed bill, I would deem fit to reserve this bill for the kind consideration of the Honourable President to avoid more constitutional complications, since it involves constitutional restrictions as well as scrutiny," Gehlot said in his order on Friday.
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Karnataka: Shop owner killed after dispute over payment for cigarette
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): A dispute allegedly triggered by alcohol consumption turned fatal following an argument over payment for a cigarette, claiming the life of a shop owner in the district, police said on Wednesday.
The incident occurred on Tuesday night, when four intoxicated youth allegedly assaulted a shop owner after he demanded payment for a cigarette, leading to his death, they added.
The deceased has been identified as Yallappa Durgappa Naik (48), the owner of a provision store.
According to police, the accused—residents of Kadoli village—had attended a fair and were returning in an inebriated state when they stopped at Naik’s shop to purchase a cigarette.
An argument reportedly broke out when Naik insisted on payment, following which the youth allegedly assaulted him.
He sustained severe injuries and succumbed while being shifted to a hospital, a senior police officer said.
Acting swiftly, Kakati police arrested all four accused within half an hour of the incident, the officer added.
The accused have been identified as Prajjwal Patil, Nikhil Chougale, Vivek Chougale and Shridhar Patil.
A case has been registered, and further investigation is underway, police said.
