The Gujarat Hindu Places of Public Worship ( Entry Authorization ) Act, 1956

The Gujarat Hindu Places of Public Worship ( Entry Authorization ) Act, 1956. 
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GOVERNMENT OF GUJARAT 
 
 
 
 
 
 
LEGISLATIVE AND PARLIAMNETARY AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Bombay Act No. XXXI of 1956 
 
 
 
 
 
The Gujarat Hindu Places of Public Worship 
( Entry Authorization ) Act, 1956. 
 
 
 
 
(As modified upto the 30th September, 2012) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Gujarat Hindu Places of Public Worship ( Entry Authorization ) Act, 1956. 
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[1956: Bom.XXXI 
 
THE GUJARAT HINDU PLACES OF PUBLIC WORSHIP 
(ENTRY AUTHORIZATION) ACT, 1956. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
PREAMBLE. 
 
SECTIONS. 
 
1. Short title, extent and commencement. 
 
2. Definitions. 
 
3. Throwing Open of Hindu temples to all classes and sections of Hindus. 
 
4. Penalty. 
 
5. Abetment of offences 
 
6. Limitation of jurisdiction of civil courts. 
 
7. Offences to be cognisable and compoundable. 
 
8. Saving of Act XXII of 1955 and other laws. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Gujarat Hindu Places of Public Worship ( Entry Authorization ) Act, 1956. 
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BOMBAY ACT NO. XXXI OF 19561 
 
[THE GUJARAT HINDU PLACES OF PUBLIC WORSHIP (ENTRY 
AUTHORIZATION) ACT, 1956.] 
[28th May, 1956 ] 
 
Adapted and modified by the Bombay Adaptation of Laws (State and Concurrent 
Subjects) Order, 1956. 
Amended by Bom 36 of 1958. 
Adapted and modified by the Gujarat Adaptation of Laws (Stat e and Concurrent 
Subjects) Order, 1960. 
 
An Act to make better provision for the throwing open of places of 
public worship to all classes and sections of Hindus. 
 
WHEREAS it is expedient to make better provision for the throwing open of 
places of public worship to all classes and sections of Hindus; It is hereby enacted in 
the Seventh Year of the Republic of India as follows: - 
 
1. (1) This Act may be called the 1a[Gujarat] Hindu Places of Public Worship 
(Entry Authorization) Act, 1956. 
 
2[(2) It extends to the whole of the 3[State of Gujarat]]. 
 
(3) It shall come into force 4[in the Bombay area of the State of Gujarat] on 
such date as the State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette 
5[appoint and in that part of the 6[State of Bombay] to which it is extended by 
the Bombay Hindu Places of Public Worship (Entry Authorization) 
(Extension) Act, 1957, it shall come into force on such other date as the State 
Government may, by notification published in the like manner, appoint]. 
 
2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requaires,- 
 
(a) "Place of public worship" means a place whether a temple o r by any other 
name called, to whomsoever belonging which is dedicated to or for the 
benefit of, or is used generally by, Hindus, Jains, Sikhs or Buddhists or any 
section or class thereof, for the performance of any religious service or for 
offering prayers therein; and includes all lands and subsidiary shrines appu - 
rtenant or attached to any such place, and also any sacred tanks, wells, springs 
and water courses the water of which are worshipped, or are used for bathing 
or for worship; 
 
(b) ''section" or "class" of Hindus includes any division, sub -division, caste, 
sub-caste, sect or denomination whotsoever of Hindus. 
 
3. Notwithstanding any custom, usage or law for the time being in force, or the decree 
or order of a court, or anything contained in any instrument, to the contrary, every 
place of public worship which is open to Hindus generally, or to any section or class 
thereof, shall be open to all sections and classes of Hindus; and no Hindu of 
whatsoever sections or class, shall in any manner be prevented, obstructed or 
discouraged from entering such place of public worship, or from worshipping or 
offering prayers thereat, or performing any religious service therein in the like 
manner and to like extent as any other Hindu of whatsover section or class may so 
enter, worship pray or perform. 
 
4. (1) Whoever in contravention of section 3— 
(a) prevents any person belonging to any class or section of Hindus 
from entering, worshipping or offering prayers, or performing any 
religious service in any Hindu temple which is used as a place of 
public worship, or 
 
(b) moleste, injures, annoys, obstructs, or causes or attempts to cause 
obstruction to, or by the threat of molestation  injury annoyance or 
obstruction, overawes or discourages any such person doing or 
performing any of the acts aforesaid, 
Short title, extent 
and 
commencement. 
Bom. XXX-VI of 
1958. 
Definitions. 
Throwing open of 
Hindu temples to all 
classes and sections 
of Hindus.  
Penatly. 
The Gujarat Hindu Places of Public Worship ( Entry Authorization ) Act, 1956. 
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shall, on conviction, be punished with imprisonment which may 
extend to six months or with fine which may extend to five hundred 
rupees, or with both. 
 
(2) Nothing in this section shall be taken to relate to offences relating to the 
practice of "untouchability". 
 
5. Whoever abets any offence under this Act, shall be punished with the punishment 
provided for the offence. 
 
6. No civil court shall entertain or continue any suit or proceeding or shall pass any 
decree or order, or execute wholly or partially any decree or order, if the claim 
involved in any such suit or proceedi ng, or if the passing of any such decree or order 
or if such execution would in any way be contrary to the provisions of this Act. 
 
7. Notwithstanding anything contained in the Code of Criminal Procedu re, 1898, 
every offence under this Act shall be cognizable, and every such offence may, with 
the permission of the court, be compounded 
 
8. The provisions of this Act shall not be taken to be in derogation of any of the 
provisions of the Untouchability (Offences) Act, 1955, or of any other law for the 
time being in force relating to any of the matters dealt with in this Act. 
 
 
 
 
 
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1 For Statement of Objects and Reasons, see Bombay Government Gazette, Extr aordinary, 1956, 
Part V, P. 191.  
1a The word “Gujarat ” was substituted  for the word “Bombay ” by Guj. 15 of 2011, s. 3.   
 This Act was extended to that part of the State of Bombay to which, immed iately before 
the commencement of Bom. 36 of 1958, it did not extend (vide Bom. 36 of 1958, s. 2).  
2 This sub -section  was substituted for the original by Bom. 36 of 1958, s. 3 (a).  
3 These words were substituted for the words "State of Bombay" by Gujarat Adaptation of Laws 
(State and Concurrent Subjects) Order, 1960.  
4 These words were substituted for the words "in the p re-Reorganisation State of Bombay", ibid ? 
5 These words were substituted for the word "appoint" by Bom. 36 of 1958, s. 3 (b).  
6 These words shall stand unmodified, by Bom. 36 of 1958 . 
 
Abetment of 
offences. 
Limitation of 
jurisdiction of civil 
courts. 
V of 1898. Offences to be 
cognizable and 
compoundable. 
Saving of Act XXII  
of 1955 and other 
laws 
XXII of 1955. 

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