The Hindu
Bangalore, Apr 14: One of the Astha (eight) maths of Udupi has petitioned the Karnataka High Court against what it claimed is harassment by the Udupi Tahsildar in issuing notices to it and threatening to take over the math lands.
The manager of Krishnapur Math said he was aggrieved by the notices being sent to the math by the tahsildar even after it had replied to earlier notices and clarified the stand on its land holdings.
The manager said the math was one of the eight maths set up by Madhwacharya at Udupi to perform puja to the deity and also to look after the Krishna Temple.
After the Karnataka Land Reforms Act 1969 came into force, the math voluntarily filed a declaration under Section 66 of the Act. Subsequently, the Karnataka Land Tribunal of Udupi (in 1972) passed an order holding that the math had power to hold the lands. However, on May 8, 2007, the Udupi Tahsildar issued a notice to the manager of the math asking why penalty should not be imposed on it for holding excess lands and why the lands should not be taken over by the Government.
The math urged the court to stay the operation of the February 16, 2008 order of the tahsildar and also call for records.
Justice Huluvadi G. Ramesh adjourned further hearing on the petition.
Adjourned
Justice K. Bhaktavatsala adjourned a petition by three members of the Srirama Sene who had questioned the action of the authorities in booking a case against them under the Arms Act for distributing trishuls at a function.
Eshwar Singh Thaker, Chandrashekar Gada and Maheshwaraswamy, said the New Town police of Bidar had registered a first information report (FIR) against them for organising a public meeting on February 22, 2008 during which trishuls were distributed. The petitioners said they had obtained permission from the police for organising the meeting. However, a Sub-Inspector of New Town police had registered an FIR against them. They urged the court to quash the FIR against them.
Justice Bhaktavatsala directed the State to ascertain whether there is any notification banning the distribution of trishuls or classifying them as weapons.