LexThe Shree Siddhi Vinayak Ganpati Temple Trust (Prabhadevi) Act, 1980.
Maharashtra · state statute
Open in Lexace · Ask the AI about this act1981 : Mah. VI] 1
SHREE SIDDHI VINAYAK GANPATI TEMPLE TRUST
(PRABHADEVI) ACT, 1980
[Text as on 7th January 2026]
—————
CONTENTS
PREAMBLE.
SECTIONS.
1. Short title and commencement.
2. Definitions.
3. Reconstitution of Temple and transfer to and vesting of properties in that Trust.
4. Transfer of possession of properties to Temple Trust.
5. Constitution of Committee of Management of Temple Trust.
6. Allowances to members.
7. Term of office of members.
8. Disqualification for membership.
9. Power to appoint new members.
10. Meetings of Committee and rules of procedure.
11. Act of Committee not invalid by reason of vacancy or defect.
12. Executive Officer and other officers of Committee.
13. Powers and duties of officers of Committee.
14. Terms and conditions of service of Executive Officer and other officers and servants.
15. Allocation of servants of public trust to Temple Trust.
16. Duties and powers of Committee.
17. Trust Fund.
18. Utilization of Trust Fund.
19. Management Fund and its utilization.
20. Suits and other proceedings by or against Trust or Committee.
21. Continuance of legal proceedings by or against public trust and construction of reference
to that trust.
22. Rules.
23. Members and officers of Committee to be public servants.
24. Protection of action taken in good faith.
25. Act to override other laws, etc.
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26. Removal of difficulties.
27. Repeal and saving.
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LIST OF AMENDMENT ACTS
1. Amended by Mah. 48 of 1983
2. Amended by Mah. 7 of 20041 (3-11-2003)
3. Amended by Mah. 21 of 2008 (9-5-2008)
4. Amended by Mah. 3 of 2025 (15-10-2024)
1 Maharashtra Ordinance No. XII of 2003 was repealed by Mah. VII of 2004, s. 3.
Note.- The date mentioned in the bracket indicates the date of commencement of the Act.
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MAHARASHTRA ACT No. VI of 19811
[SHREE SIDDHI VINAYAK GANPATI TEMPLE TRUST (PRABHADEVI) ACT, 1980.]
[This Act received the assent of the President on the 15th January 1981; assent was first published
in the Maharashtra Government Gazette, Part IV, Extraordinary No. 7, on the 17th January 1981.]
An Act to reconstitute the trust popularly known as “Shree Siddhi Vinayak Ganpati
Temple Trust of Prabhadevi” and to provide for management by a Committee to
enable the Trust to undertake wider welfare activities for the public.
WHEREAS, the administration of the public trust registered under the Bombay Public Trusts Act,
1950 (Bom. XXIX of 1950 ), with the name “Shree Ganpati Temple at Prabhadevi Road, Dadar ,
Bombay’’ and popularly known as Shree Siddhi Vinayak Ganpati Temple Trust of Prabhadevi, was
vested in the Official Trustee for the State of Maharashtra by virtue of consent decree dated the 16 th
June 1936 passed by the High Court of Judicature at Bombay in Suit No. 217 of 1932;
AND WHEREAS, by his judgment dated the 5 th July 1980 given in suo motu scheme framing
proceeding No. 32 of 1977 under section 50A ( i) of the Bombay Public Trusts Act, 1950 (Bom. XXIX
of 1950 ), the Joint Charity Commissioner had inter alia appointed the Maharashtra Executor and
Trustee Company Ltd., as the Custodian Trustee and vested the properties of the trust in that trustee
and had appointed a Board of Managing Trustees and had directed the Custodian Trustee to take
appropriate proceeding in the High Court for direction to the Official Trustee, if he did not hand over
the possession or transfer the properties to the Custodian Trustee on being called upon to do so within a
reasonable time;
AND WHEREAS, being aggrieved by this jud gement of the Joint Charity Commissioner, one of
the parties had obtained a stay order from the Charity Commissioner against implementation of the
Joint Charity Commissioner’s orders;
AND WHEREAS, the trust in question has large properties and is very pop ular among the
devotees, but on account of continuous litigation, the growing income of the trust could not be fully
utilised so far; and it was necessary that further time and expenditure on litigation should be avoided ;
AND WHEREAS, the Government of M aharashtra was satisfied that for this important and
popular trust there should be a separate law to reconstitute the trust and to provide for management by
a Committee directly under Government supervision to enable the trust to give more facilities for the
devotees and to undertake wider welfare activities from its surplus funds for the general public;
AND WHEREAS, both Houses of the State Legislature were not in session ;
AND WHEREAS, the Go vernor of Maharashtra was satisfied that circumstances existed which
rendered it necessary for him to take immediate action to make a law for the purposes aforesaid and for
that purpose promulgated Shree Siddhi Vinayak Ganpati Temple Trust (Prabhadevi) Ord inance, 1980
(Mah. Ord. X of 1980) on the 11th October 1980 ;
AND WHEREAS, it is expedient to replace the said Ordinance by an Act of the State Legislature;
It is hereby enacted in the Thirty-first Year of the Republic of India as follows :—
1. Short title and commencement.— (1) This Act may be called Shree Siddhi Vinayak Ganpati
Temple Trust (Prabhadevi) Act, 1980.
(2) It shall be deemed to have come into force on the 11th day of October 1980.
2. Definitions.— In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—
(a) “appointed day” means the day on which this Act, is deemed to have come into force ;
(b) “Committee” means the Committee for management of the Temple Trust as constituted
under this Act;
(c) “Executive Officer” means the Executive Officer of the Committee;
1 For Statement of Objects and Reasons of the L. A. Bill No. LII of 1980 , see Maharashtra Government Gazette 1981,
Part V, Extraordinary No. 56, dated 28th November 1980, page 285.
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(d) “Management Fund” means the Management Fund of the Committee constituted under
this Act ;
(e) “member ” means a member of the Committee, and includes the Chairman and the
treasurer of the Committee ;
(f) “Official Trustee ” means the Official Trustee for the State of Maharashtra appointed
under the Official Trustees Act, 1913 (II of 1913) ;
(g) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made by the State Government under this Act ;
(h) “regulations” means regulations made by the Committee under this Act;
(i) “Temple” means the Temple of Ganpati and other deities belonging to the Temple Trust
and popularly known as Shree Siddhi Vinayak Temple at Prabhadevi in Bombay;
(j) “Temple Trust” or “Trust” means the Trust of the Temple as constituted under this Act ;
(k) “Trust Fund” means the Fund of the Temple Trust constituted under this Act.
3. Reconstitution of Temple Trust and transfer to and vesting of properties in that Trust.—
On the appointed day, in place of the public trust registered under the Bombay Public Trusts Act, 1950
(Bom. XXIX of 1950 ), by the name of Shree Ganpati Temple at Prabhadevi Road, Dadar , Bombay
(hereinafter referred to as “the publ ic trust”), a trust by the name of “Shree Siddhi Vinayak Ganp ati
Temple Trust (Prabhadevi)” shall be deemed to be reconstituted under this Act, and all properties,
whether movable or immovable (including all assets, rights, liabilities and obligations) of the public
trust, which was being held and administered by the Official Trustee immediately before that day,
shall, by virtue of this Act, stand transferred to, and vested in, the deity of Ganpati in the Temp le for
the purposes of the reconstituted trust to be called the Temple Trust or the Trust, and, in place of the
official trustee, the Executive Officer shall on behalf of the Committee be entitled to their possession
and management from that day.
4. Transfer of possession of properties to Temple Trust.— (1) The Official Trustee and every
other person in possession of any immovable property of the public trust which has vested in the
Temple Trust under section 3, shall hand over possession thereof, along wi th movable property
thereon, with a full inventory, to the Executive Officer on behalf of the Committee forthwith.
(2) The Official Trustee and every other person in possession of any movable property of the
public trust (including deposits in banks or inv estments in shares or securities or ornaments, jewellery
or other valuable property) so vested shall, within sixty days or such longer period from the appointed
day as the Committee may allow, transfer or cause to be transferred, such property, with a full
inventory, to the Executive Officer on behalf of the Committee.
(3) Where any property is handed over or transferred under this section, the Executive Officer
shall, after due verification with the inventory, pass a proper receipt to the transferor and the Executive
Officer shall be responsible for its safe custody thereafter.
(4) The Official Trustee and every other person who hands over or transfers any property of the
public trust to the Executive Officer and obtains his receipt therefor is hereby indemnified, released
and discharged from all accounts, suits or other legal proceedings, claims and demands or liability in
respect of that property.
5. Constitution of Committee of Management of Temple Trust. — (1) For the purpose of
management of the Temple Trust, on the appointed day, a Committee to be called “Shree Siddhi
Vinayak Ganpati Temple Trust Management Committee” shall be deemed to be constituted.
(2) Subject to the other provisions of this Act, the Committee shall be a body corporate by the
name aforesaid, having perpetual succession and a common seal, with power to acquire, hold and
dispose of property, both movable and immovable, and to contract and shall by the said name sue and
be sued.
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1[(3) The State Government shall, by notification publish ed in the Official Gazette , appoint a
Chairman, a treasurer and not more than fifteen other members to form the Committee.]
Provided that the State Government may, by like notification, from time to time, increase the
number of other members, but the total number of the members shall not exceed eleven.
6. Allowances to members. — (1) There shall be pa id from the Management Fund to each
member such honorarium, fees and allowances for exercising his powers and performing his duties
and functions as the Chairman, Treasurer, or other member, as the case may be, as may be determined
by the State Government, from time to time.
(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, a member
shall not be disqualified for being c hosen as, or for being, a member of the State Legislature or local
authority, merely by reason of the fact that he is a member of the Committee or that he receives any
honorarium, fees or allowances under this section.
7. Term of office of members. — (1) A member shall be appointed for a period of 2[five
years] and shall be eligible for reappointment.
3[Provided that, the term of o ffice of such outgoing members shall be deemed to extend to, and
expire with, the date on which the notification c onstituting the new Committee is pub lished in the
Official Gazette.]
(2) A member may, by wr iting under his hand addressed to the State Government, resign his
membership :
Provided that, such resignation shall not take effect until it is accepted by the State Government.
4[(3) If a member, without obtaining leave from the Committee, does not attend three consecutive
meetings of the Committee, he shall cease to be a mem ber thereof, from the time the third such
meeting is duly terminated.
Explanation.— If any question arises as to whether any person has ceased to be a member under
sub-section (3), the question shall be referred by the Committee for decision of the Stat e Government
or any officer authorised by it in this behalf, and t he decision given by th e State Government or the
authorised officer, as the case may be, after holding such inquiries as deemed necessary, shall be final.]
8. Disqualification for membership.— (1) A person shall be disqualified for appointment as, or
for being, a member, if he—
(a) is a minor;
(b) has been convicted by a criminal court of any offence involving moral turpitude ;
(c) is of unsound mind, and is so declared by a competent court;
(d) is an undischarged insolvent ;
(e) has directly or indirectly any interest in a lease or any other transaction relating to the
immovable property of the Temple Trust;
(f) is a paid servant of the Committee or has any share or interest in any contract for the
supply of goods to, or for ex ecution of any work, or the performance of any service, undertaken
by the Committee in respect of the Temple Trust;
(g) is guilty of misconduct or is otherwise unfit.
(2) If it appears to the State Government that a member has incurred any of the disquali fications
aforesaid, the State Government may, after giving such member an opportunity of showing cause, and
1 Sub-section (3) was substituted by Mah. 3 of 2025, s. 2.
2 These words were substituted for the words “three years” by Mah. 3 of 2025, s. 3.
3 This Proviso was added by Mah. 21 of 2008, s. 2.
4 Sub-section (3) was added by Mah. 48 of 1983, s. 2.
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after considering any such cause shown, remove such person from membership, and the decision of the
State Government shall be final.
9. Power to a ppoint new members. — The State Government may appoi nt a new member,
when a member—
(a) resigns or dies;
(b) is for a continuous period of six months absent from India, without obtaining leave from
the Committee ;
(c) leaves India for the purpose of residing abroad ;
(d) desires to be discharged;
(e) refuses to act ;
(f) is removed or his membership is terminated by the State Government;
1[(g) ceases or is disqualified to be or to conti nue to be a member under any of the
provisions of this Act.]
10. Meetings of Committee and rules of procedure. — (1) For the transaction of its business,
the Committee shall meet at such intervals as it may determine, from time to time.
(2) The quorum for a meeting of the Committee shall be three.
(3) Every meeting of the Committee shall be presided over by the Chairman and in his absence by
a member elected for the purpose by the members present.
(4) All questions arising at a meeting of the Committee shall be determined by a majority of votes
of the members present. In the case of an equality of votes, the Chairm an or the person presiding, as
the case may be, shall have and exercise a casting vote.
(5) The Executive Officer being the Secretary of the Committee shal l be responsible for the
maintenance of the minutes of the proceedings of every meeting duly countersigned by the Chairman
or other person presiding at the meeting.
(6) Subject to the p rovisions of this section, the Committee may make regulations, with the
approval of the State Government, for regulating its procedure and the conduct of its business.
11. Act of Committee not invalid by reason of vacancy or defect. — No act or proceeding of
the Committee shall be invalid by reason only of the existence of any vacancy amongst its members or
any defect in its constitution or in appointment of any member.
12. Executive Officer and other officers of Committee. — (1) Th e State Government may
appoint a person, who is or has been a Gazetted Offi cer of Government as Executive Officer of the
Committee and he shall be ex-officio Secretary of the Committee.
(2) The Committee may appoint such officers (other than Executive Officer) and servants as it
thinks necessary for the efficient management of the Temple Trust and performance of its d uties and
functions under this Act :
Provided that, no officer or servant, who is paid or is to be paid a salary of over five h undred
rupees per month, shall be appointed by the Committee, without the previous approval of the State
Government.
13. Powers and duties of officers of Committee.— (1) The Executive Officer shall be the Chief
Administrative Officer of the Committee. He shall, subject to the control of the Committee, have
general powers to carry out the decisions of the Committee in accordance with the provisions of this
Act.
1 Clause (g) was added by Mah. 48 of 1983, s. 3.
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(2) In particular, but without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing sub-section, the
Executive Officer shall be responsible for the custody of all properties and records of the Trust and
shall make proper arrangements for collection and deposit of offerings made in the Temple and shall
have powers, subject to the control of the Committee,—
(a) to take disciplinary action against any other officer or servant of the Committee;
(b) to call for tenders for works or supplies and accept such tenders when the amount or
value thereof does not exceed two thousand rupees;
(c) to dispose of perishable offerings by auction or otherwise and credit the sale proceeds to
the Temple Fund;
(d) to undertake ur gent repairs or measures required for safety or convenience of the
devotees;
(e) to do all other acts and things which he is empowered to do by the Committee or under
the regulations made by the Committee with the approval of the State Government.
(3) The other officers and servants of the Committee shall exercise such powers and perform such
duties and functions as are assigned to them by the Committee or the Executive Officer or under the
regulations made by the Committee with the approval of the State Government.
14. Terms and conditions of service of Executive Officer and other officers
and servants.— (1) The Executive Officer of the Committee shall be appointed on such terms and
conditions of service as may be determined by the State Government, from time to time.
(2) Other officers and servants of the Committee shall be appointed on such terms and conditions
of service as may be determined by regulations made by the Committee, with the approval of the State
Government.
(3) The salary and allowances and other expenses of the Executive Officer and other officers and
servants of the Committee shall be paid out of the Management Fund.
15. Allocation of servants of public trust to Temple Trust. — Every person who immediately
before the appointed day is serving in connection with the affairs of the public trust shall be deemed to
have been allocated and appointed for service as from that day under the Committee in connection with
the affairs of the Temple Trust, on the same salary and other terms and conditions of service which
were applicable to him immediately before that day; and such conditions of service shall not be varied
to his disadvantage by the Committee, except with the previous approval of the State Government:
Provided that, nothing in this section shall affect the powers of the Committee to terminate the
services of any such person in accordance with the provisions of this Act or the regulations made by
the Committee, with the approval of the State Government.
16. Duties and powers of Committee. — (1) Subject to any general or special orders of State
Government, it shall be the duty of the Committee to manage the properties and affairs of the Temple
Trust efficiently, to make proper arrangements for the conduct and performance of rituals, worship,
ceremonies and festivals in the Temple according to the custom and usages, to provide necessary
facilities and amenities to the devotees and to apply the income of the Trust to the objects and purposes
for which the trust is to be administered under this Act.
(2) In particular, but without prejudice to the generalit y of the foregoing sub -section, the
Committee shall,—
(a) prepare the annual budget estimating the income and expenditure of the Trust and send a
copy of it to the State Government ;
(b) maintain proper accounts and records of the properties and the income and expenditure
of the Trust ;
(c) cause the accounts of the Trust to be audited annually by such person and by such date in
the next succeeding year as the State Government may direct ;
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(d) mak e regular payment of salaries, honorarium, fees and allowances and other sums
payable to the members, Executive Officer and other officers and servants of the Committee from
the Management Fund ;
(e) take measures for the recovery of lost property or any sums due to the Trust ;
(f) institute and defend any suits, prosecutions and other legal proceedings relating to the
Trust in a Court or before a Tribunal or other authority ;
(g) inspect or cause an inspection to be made of the properties of the Trust, fro m time to
time, and to take prompt steps to remove any encroachments made on such properties;
(h) supply such returns, statistics, accounts and other information with respect to the Trust
as the State Government may, from time to time, require;
(i) generally do all such acts as may be necessary for the purposes of proper management,
maintenance and administration of the properties and affairs of the Trust.
(3) No immovable property vested in the Trust shall be leased for more than a year, or mortgaged,
sold or otherwise alienated, by the Committee, except with the previous sanction of the State
Government.
(4) No jewelleries, ornaments and other valuable movable property vested in the Trust, the value
of which is more than five thousand rupees, shall be sold , pledged or otherwise alienated by the
Committee, except with the previous sanction of the State Government.
(5) The Committee shall have no power to borrow money from any person, except with the
previous sanction of the State Government.
(6) Subject to t he provisions of this Act, the Committee shall have all the powers necessary for
performing its duties and functions under this Act.
17. Trust Fund. — (1) The Temple Trust shall have its own fund to be called “Shree Siddhi
Vinayak Ganpati Temple Trust Fund” which shall vest in the deity of Ganapati.
(2) The following shall form part of, or be paid into, the Trust Fund :—
(a) all funds vested in the deity by virtue of the provisions of section 3 ;
(b) all sums received by way of offerings, gifts or donations to the deity or by way of puja
charges or by way of sale proceeds by auction of such things received in kind ;
(c) the income derived from the movable and immovable properties of the Trust and the
proceeds of sale, lease or other transfer or mortgage of any such properties ;
(d) any contributions or grants made to the Trust by Government or by any local authority,
trust or other institution ;
(e) any sums due to the Trust and recovered by the Committee ;
(f) any sums borrowed by the Committee ;
(g) all other sums received or collected by the Committee or any member for or on behalf of
the Trust.
(3) All monies and other valuable articles belonging to the Trust Fund shall be kept in such
custody or deposited in such bank or be invested in such securities in accordance with such guidelines
as may be issued by the State Government, from time to time.
(4) The Trust Fund shal l be operated by a member or an officer authorised by the Committee in
such manner and subject to such conditions as may be prescribed.
18. Utilization of Trust Fund. — (1) The Trust Fund shall be utilised by the Committee for all
or any of the following purposes :—
(i) the maintenance, management and administration of the Temple and the properties of the
Trust ;
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(ii) the conduct and performance of the rituals, worship, ceremonies and festivals in the
Temple according to the custom and usages ;
(iii) providing facilities and amenities to the devotees for darshan of the deity and for
offering prayers or performing any religious service or ceremony in the Temple ;
(iv) repayment of any sums borrowed by the Committee, with the sanction of the State
Government ;
(v) any su ms required to satisfy any judg ment, decree or award of any Court or arbitral
tribunal;
(vi) the payment of any tax es, rent, compensation, premia, charges and other sums payable
by the Trust under any law for the time being in force.
1[(2) After making adequate provisions for the purposes referred to in sub -section (1) and after
making similar provision for the objects, needs, requirements and improvements of the Trust in the
near future, if there is a surplus in the Trust Fund, a port ion of the surplus may be utilised by the
Committee, from time to time, for all or any of the following purposes, namely :—
(i) development of the properties of the Trust and acquisition of movable or immovable
properties for the purposes of the Trust;
(ii) construction and maintenance of rest houses for the accommodation and use of the
devotees ;
(iii) with the pervious sanction of the State Government, the establishment and maintenance
of any educational institutions, hospitals, dispensaries, homes for destitute persons or persons
physically disabled or other charitable or religious institutions, or giving financial aid to such
institutions or persons :
Provided that before applying to the State Government for previous sanction for giving
financial aid to any individual institution or persons the Committee shall satisfy itself that the
surplus funds are or being adequately spent first for other purposes specified in clauses ( i), (ii)
and (iii) of this sub -section, and then in the application give detail s of such expenditure and the
different grants proposed to be given to different institutions and persons and the reasons why
such institutions and persons have been selected:]
2[Provided further that, if the Committee is satisfied that the patient requires urgent financial
aid to meet the medical expenses of emergent nature, it may sanction financial aid of an amount
upto rupees twenty -five thousand without previous sanction of t he State Government; and such
amount shall be paid directly, by cheque, in the name of the concerned hospital. The Executive
Officer shall within three days from such payment, prepare a detailed report and forward the same
alongwith a copy of the necessary medical certificate and a copy of the resolution of the
Committee to the State Government for information.]
19. Management Fund and its utilization.— (1) There shall be constituted a separate fund to be
called the Management Fund, which shall vest in, and be, under the control of the Committee.
(2) Having regard to the balance, if any, available in the Management Fund, there shall be placed
to the credit of this Fund every year such sum, not exceeding ten per cent. of the approximate gross
annual income of the Trust in the last preceding year, as may be fixed by the Committee, with the
approval of the State Government. The State Governm ent may, at any time, if found necessary, direct
any additional sum to be credited to this Fund from the Trust Fund in any year.
(3) The Management Fund shall, subject to any general or special order of the State Government,
be applied to—
(a) the payment of honorarium, fees and allowances to the Chairman, Treasurer and other
members of the Committee;
1 Sub-section (2) was substituted for the original by Mah. 48 of 1983, s. 4.
2 This proviso was added by Mah. 7 of 2004, s. 2.
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(b) the payment of sa laries, allowances and other sums payable to the Executive Officer,
other officers and servants of the Committee;
(c) the payment of any expenses lawfully incurred by the Committee or any member or
officer or servant in the exercise of their powers and per formance of their duties and functions
under this Act.
20. Suits and other proceedings by or against Trust or Committee. — In all suits and other
legal proceedings by or against the Temple Trust or the Committee, the pleadings shall be signed and
verified by the Executive Officer and all processes in such suits and proceedings shall be issued to, or
served on, the Executive Officer.
21. Continuance of legal proceedings by or against public trust and construction of
references to that trust. — (1) Where immediately before the appointed day, the public trust by the
name of “Shree Ganpati Temple at Prabhadevi Road, Dadar, Bombay” or any trustee thereof is a party
to any legal proceedings with respect to any property, rights, liabilities or obligations vested i n the
reconstituted trust by the name of “Shree Siddhi Vinayak Ganpati Temple Trust (Prabhadevi)” by
virtue of the provisions of this Act, the reconstituted trust or its Committee, shall be deemed to be
substituted for the public trust or its trustee, as a party to those proceedings, or added to as a party
thereto, as the case may be, and the proceedings may continue accordingly.
(2) Any reference to the public trust or its trustee in any law for the time being in force or in any
rule, regulation, notifica tion or order issued thereunder, or in any instrument or other document shall
be, on and after the appointed day, unless the context otherwise requires, be construed as a reference to
the reconstituted trust or its Committee, as the case may be.
22. Rules .— (1) The power to make rules under this Act, shall be exercisable by the State
Government by notification in the Official Gazette.
(2) Without prejudice to any power to make rules contained elsewhere in this Act, the State
Government may make rules for carrying out the purposes of this Act.
(3) All rules made under this Act shall be subject to the condition of previous publication:
Provided that, if the State Government is satisfied that circumstances exist which render it
necessary to take immediate acti on, it may dispense with the previous publication of any rule to be
made under this Act.
(4) Every rule made under this Act shall be laid as soon as may be after it is made before each
House of the State Legislature while it is in session for a total perio d of thirty days, which may be
comprised in one session or in two successive sessions, and if, before the expiry of the session in which
it is so laid or the session immediately following both houses agree in making any modification in the
rule or both Ho uses agree that the rule should not be made, and notify such decision in the Official
Gazette, the rule shall from the date of publication of such notification have effect only in such
modified form or be of no effect, as the case may be; so, however, that any such modification or
annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done or omitted to be done
under that rule.
23. Members and officers of Committee to be public servants. — The members of the
Committee and all officers a nd servants thereof shall be deemed to be public servants within the
meaning of section 21 of the Indian Penal Code (XLV of 1860).
24. Protection of action taken in good faith. — No suit, prosecution or other legal proceeding
shall lie against the State Go vernment, the Official Trustee, the Committee or any member, officer or
servant of the Committee, for anything which is in good faith done or intended to be done under this
Act or the rules and regulations made thereunder.
25. Act to override other laws, etc.— The provisions of this Act shall have effect,
notwithstanding anything contained in the Bombay Public Trusts Act, 1950 (Bom. XXIX of 1950), the
Official Trustees Act, 1913 (II of 1913) or any other law for the time being in force, or in any Scheme
1981 : Mah. VI] Shree Siddhi Vinayak Ganpati Temple 13
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of management framed thereunder, or in any judgment, decree or order of any Court, Tribunal, Charity
Commissioner or other competent authority or in any custom or usage.
26. Removal of difficulties.— If any difficulty arises in giving effect to any of the provisions of
this Act, the State Government may, as occasion arises, by order, do anything which appears to it to be
necessary for the purpose of removing the difficulty :
Provided th at no such order shall be made after the expiry of a period of two years from the
appointed day.
27. Repeal and saving. — (1) Shree Siddhi Vinayak Ganpati Temple Trust (Prabhadevi)
Ordinance, 1980 (Mah. Ord. X of 1980) is hereby repealed.
(2) Notwithstandi ng such repeal, anything done or any action taken (including any rule,
regulation, notification or order issued or any appointment made) under the said Ordinance shall be
deemed to have been done or taken, issued or made, as the case may be, under the corr esponding
provisions of this Act.