Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Nov 3: Under the aegis of Gowda Saraswath Brahmins (GSB) Temples' Association, a legal information workshop was conducted in the auditorium of Srinivasa Nigamagama Pathashala in the city, about various laws that are applicable to the temples of the GSB community, on Saturday October 31.

The chief guests inaugurated the programme by lighting the lamp. President of the Association, K Radhakrishna Shenoy, welcomed. Vice-president, C Lakshman Shenoy, introduced the guests. Over a hundred delegates representing different temples were present. Secretary Vishwanath Kamath proposed vote of thanks.

Well known legal expert from the city, M V Shankar Bhat, who participated as resource person, interpreted important points of some legislations like religious endowments act, laws governing the disposal of fixed assets, Mulgeni law, arbitration act etc. S S Kamath, chartered accountant, who was the chief guest, provided details of income tax rules that are applicable to the temples. Secretary of the Association, G Vishwanath Kamath, presented an essay on the 'practices traditionally followed by the GSB community people'.

The experts felt that the trustees of the temples need to protect the landed properties in their possession and to develop them further. Exchange of views on the steps needed to be undertaken to ensure that the fixed assets of the temples that are presently occupied by Mulgeni tenants are protected, was undertaken. The resource persons felt the necessity to bring pressure on the government through various measures, to ensure that the proposed bill, expected to be tabled by the government with the intention of cancelling the Mulgeni system, does not result in loss or problems for the temples and interferes with their rights.

Shankar Bhat asked all the governing councils of the temples, to frame a management scheme to properly run the temple administrations and to explore the possibility of using the opportunity of finding a solution to the problems encountered in the day-to-day administration, as far as possible, through either concilliations or arbitration, as arbitration is a procedure that gets clear mention in the constitution of the Association.