LexThe Tamil Nadu Temple Entry Authorization Act, 1947
Tamil Nadu · state statute
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The Tamil Nadu Temple Entry Authorization Act, 1947
Act 5 of 1947
Keyword(s):
Temple, Worship, Entry into a Temple, Hindu Temple
958 Tenrple &try Authorization [1947: T.N. Act V
THE TA@ NADU ;~EMPL% ENTRY
' AUTHORIZATION ACT,. ..1947.; .
CONTENTS.
SE~ONS.
1. Short title, extent and eommence-
ment .
2. Definitions.
3. Right of all classes of Hindus to enter
and offer worship in temples. *
4. Power of trustees to make regulations
for the maintenance of order and
decorum and the due performance
oj rites and ceremonies in temples.
3. Sanction for institution or contilzu.
ance of suits, prosecutions, erc.
6. Powcr to decide disputes.
7. Penalties.
:-A. Offences u~zdcr section 7 to be
cognizable.
3. Rules.
9. Powcr to rcillo~e ~I.~li:ulties.
'.I. ( Repealed. )
- 7
-1. ( R epcaled .)
1947: T.N. Act Vj ~emple ~uthorlza~on 959
. *FAMIL NADU] ACI' No. V OF 1947'.
[THE '(TAMIL NADU) TBMPLE ENTRY AUTHORIZAT~ON
ACT, 1947.1 i i (Received the assent of the Gov@or-@enerol on the 1 1 th
May 1947 ; Jirst published in the Fort St. George I
Gazette of the 13th May 1947). I
An Act to authorize entry into Hindu temples in
the 3[State of Tamil Nadu] and the offer of
worship therein by 4[all classes of Hindus]. I
WHEREAS it is the policy of the '[State Government] to -, ,
remove the disabihies imposed Y ] on certain classes of Hindus against entry into Hindu temples in
the '[State] 7 1;
AND WHEREAS the 5[State Government] are satisfied,
from the rapidity with which, under pressure of Hindu
pt~blic opinion, a number of temples have been thrown
These words weresubstituted for the word "Madras" by the
Tamil Nadu Adaptation of Laws Order, 1969, as amended by the
Tamil Nadu Adaptation of LJWS (Second Amendment) Order, 1969.
2 For Statement of Objects and Reasons, see Fort St. George
Gnzerte, dated the 28th January 1917, Part IV-A, pages 93-94.
This Act was extcnded to the merged State of Pudukkottai by
sectron 3 of, and tile First Schcdulc to, the Tamil Nadu Merged
States (Laws)Act, 1949 (Tamil Nadu Act XXXV of 1949).
3 This expression was substituted for the expression "Provincs
of Madras" by the Tamil Nadu Adalptation of Laws Order, 1970,
which was deemed to liavc come into force on the 14th January 1969.
4 These words were substituted lor the words "certain classes of
Hindu?, who by custom or usage are excluded from such entry and
worship" by section 2(1) of the Madras Teniple Entry Authorization 1
(Amendment) Act, 1949 (Madras Act XI11 of 1949).
6 This expression was subst~tuted for the expression "Provincial
Government" by the Tamil Nadu Adaptation of Laws Order, 1970.
"he words "by custom or usage" were omitted by section 2 (2) of
the Madras Temple Entry Authori+~tion (Amendment) Act, 1949
(Madras Act XI11 of 1949). 1
7 This word was substituted for the word r'Province'' by paragraph
4 of, and the Schedule to, the Tamil Nddu Adaptation oiLaws Order, 1
1970, which was deemcd to have come into force on the 14th January 1
1969. I
s'rhe words "which are open to he general Hindu publicw were
omitted by section 2 (2) of the Madlas Temple Entry Authorization
(Amendment) Act, 1949 (Madras Act XI11 of 1949). . .
t
960 Temple Enky Authorization 11947 : T.N. Ac
" . -$t
open to '[certain classes of Hindus] in recent months,
under the provisions of the Madras Temple Entry Madras ,
Authorization and Indemnity Act, 1939; that the ?A,
time has now arrived for 2[throwing open to all of 1939.
classes of Hindus every Hindu temple in the 3(Stdte)];
AND WHEREAS the j[State Government] consider that .
. the provisions of the sa!d Act are inadeq~late for the
early and complete implementation of the policy of
the .'[State Govermnt] aforesaid ;
It is hereby enacted as follows :-
Short title,
exten* and 1 (1) Thic; Act may be called the S[Tarrril Nadll'J
commence- Temple Entry Authotizarion Act, 1947.
ment.
(2) It extends to the whole of the %[State of
Tainil Nadu].
'(3) This scctioll shall come into force at once;
and the remaining provisions of this Act shall come into
fivce on such sdate as the glState] Government may,
by notification in the Fort St. George Gazette, appoint.
--
1 These words were substrtuted for the words "those classes of
Hindus" by section 2 (3) of the Madras Temple Entry Authoriza-
tion(Amendfflent) Act, 1949 (Madras Act XI11 of 1949).
8Thcsc words were substituted for the words "throwing open to
\c~ch cl~tse5 of Hindus all temples In the Province which are open
,,) [he gunerdl Hindu publicw by ibitf.
a Thi5 word was substituted for the word "Province" by para-
graph 4 of, and the Schedule to, the Tamil Nadu Adaptation of
~ows Order, 1970, wh~ch was deemed to have come into force
on the 14th January 1969.
6 This expression was substituted for the expression "Provincial
Government" by the Tamif Nadu Adaptation of Laws Order,
1970.
These words were su'xtituted lor the word "M tdras" by the
Tamil Nadu Adaptation of Laws Order, 1969, as amended by the
Tamil Nadu Adaptation of Laws (Secand Amendment) Order,
1969.
6 This expression was substituted for the expression "State of
M,idras" by ibirl.
7Section 1 cameinto forceon the 13thMay 1947 andsections2
to 11 on the 2nd June 1947.
Came into force on the 2nd June 1947.
o This word was substituted for the word "Provincials' by tt,o
Adp~tatiotl Order of 1950.
. .
2. In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant Definitions.
in the subject or context-
'[*** 1
'[(I) 'temple' means a place, y whatever name
known, which is dedicated to, or fo t the benefit of, or
used as of right by, 2(the Hindu community or any
section thereof), as a place of public religious worship,
and includes subsidiary shrines and mantapams
attached to such place ;
(2) 'worship' means such religious servjce as
the bulk of the worshippers may offer, or participate
in, in accordance wit4 such rules and regulations as
may be made under this Act.]
3. (1) Notwithstanding any law, custom or usage Right of all
to the contrary, 3[every Hindu irrespective of the caste classes of
Hindus to
or sect to which he belongs] shall be entitled to enter enter and
any Hindu temple and offer worship therein in the ?$&W;f$ip
same manner and to the same extent as 4[Hindus in
general or any section of Hindus]; and 6[no Hindu]
shall, by reason only of such entry or worship whether
before or after the commencement of this Act, be
deemed to have committed any actionable wrong or
offence or be used or prosecutccl therefor.
(2) Without prejudice to the generality of'the
foregoing provision, it is hereby declared that the right
conferred by sub-section (1) shall include the follo winR
I Clause (1) was omitted and clauses (2) and (3) were renumbered
as clauses (1) and (2) by section 2 (4) (i) of the Madras Temple Entry
.\uthorization (Amendment) Act, 1949 (Madras Act XI11 of 1949).
2 These words were substituted for the words "the Hindu corn-
nit~nity in general" by section 2 (4) (ii), ilid.
8 ihese words were substituted for the words "persons belonging
;o the excluded classesw by section 2 (5) (i), ibid.
4 These words were substituted for tRe words "the Hindus ill
general" by section 2(5) (ii), {bid
6 These words were substituted for the words "no member of any
excluded class" by section 2 (5) (iii), ibid:
: , " 7?:w.% . . . , : *,;, ;,&:
.,C;Z4'$, :$
'. . *., .., ,
uthorization [I947 : ZN. Act. V- " :
rights, if, and to the extent to which, they are l[enjoyed
by Hindus in general, or any ;::tion ~f Hindus]:-
(a) the right to hathe in, or use the waters of,
any sacred tank, wcll, spring or water-course appurte-
nant to the temple, whether situated within or outside
the precincts thereof ;
(b) the right of passage over any sacred place,
including a hill or hiiock or a road, street or pathway,
which is requisite for obtaining access to the temple.
Powers of 4. The trustee or other authority in ~hargz of a
trustees to make temple shall have power, subject to the control of the
for elstate] Government and to any rules which may be the main-
tenance of made by them, to make regulations for the maintenance:
order and of order and decor1.1m in the temple and the due obser- decorums the vance of the religious rites and caemonies performed due per-
formance of in the temple, but such regulations "shall not discrimi-
rites and
ceremonies nate in any way against any Hindu on the ground that
in temples. he bzlongs to a particular caste or sect].
Sanction for
institution
or conti-
nuance of sui ts,
prosecutions,
etc.
5. (1) No suit for damages, injunction or declara-
tion or for any other relief, no prosecution for any
offencc, and no application or other proczeding under
the Madras Hindu Religious El~dowments Act, 19264, y:d:tbf
or any other law, shall be institutzd in respect of.any 1927.
entry into or worship in any temple whether before or
after the commencement of this Act, on the sole ground
=[that such entry or worship is by a Hindi1 belonging
to a particular caste or sect].
i These words were substituted for the words "enjoyed by Hindus
in general,not belonging to theexcluded classes" by section 2 (6) of
the Madras Temple Entry Authorization (Amendment) Act, 1949
(Madras Act XI11 of 1949).
2 Thisword was substituted for the word t provincial^ by the
Adaptation Order of 1950.
8 These words were substituted for the words "shall not discrimi-
nate in any way against the members of the excluded classes '9 by
section 2 (7) of the MadrasTemple Entry Authorization(Amendment)
Act, 1949 (Madras Act XI11 of 1949).
4 Bee now the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endow-$
meats Act, 1959 (Tamil Nadu Act 22 of 1959).
6 These words wsre substituted for the words "that such entry or
worship is against the custom or usage wh,ich excludescertain classes
of Hindus from such entry or worship by section 2 (8) of tho
Wcr,,fr-q Temple Entry Authorization (Amendment) Act, 1949
(Madras Aot XI11 of 1949).
IN: P.N. Act VJ Tempk EntrY$thorization 463 1 1.
(2) No suit, prosecution, application or procee- 1
ding of the nature aforesaid, instituted before the
commencement of this Act, shall bz continued there-
( after, without the sanction of the l[State] Government.
6. If any question arises as to w ether a place is or :g~;;d; d=idci
is not a temple as defined in this A h the question shall
I
be referred to the l[State] Governm6nt and their deci-
sion shall be final subject, however, to any decree
passed by a competent Civil Court in a suit filed before
it within six months of the date of the decision of the
1 [State] Government.
7. Whoever- Penalties.
4 (i) prevents %[a Hindu] from exercising any right
conferred by this Act, or
(ii) molests or obstructs 3[a Hindu] in the exer-
cise of any such righc
sl~all be punishable, in the case of a first offence, with
fine which may extend to one hund1;ed rupees, and in
. the case' of a second or subsequent offence, with impri-
sonment which mzy extend to six months, or with fine
which may extend to five hundred rupees, or with both.
4[7-A. All offences putlishable rinder section 7 Offences under
shall be cognizable]. section 7 to be
cognizable.
8. (1) The '[State] Government may make rules Rules.
for the purpose of carrying into effect the provisions
of this Act in respect of temples generally or of any
temple or class of temples. - --- ----
1 This word was substituted for the word "Provincial " by the
Adaptation Order of 1950.
2 These words were substituted for the words "a person belonging
to any excluded classVby section 2 (9) (i) of the Madras Temple Entry
Authorization (Amendment) Act, 1949 (Madras Act XI11 of 1949). 1
8 Thcse words were substit~~ted for the words "any such pel \O
by section 2 (9) (ii) , ibid. I
4 'Phis scctiol~ was inserted by sectioo 2 (lo), ibld. I
964 Temple Bntry Authorization [1947: T.N. Aft V
(2) All rules made under this sectio shall be
published in the Fort St. George Gazette, an?, on such
publication, shall have effect as if enacted in this Act.
Power to remove 9. If any difticulty arises in giving effect to the provi-
I diiulties. sions of this Act, the '[State] Government, as occasion
8 requires,' may, by order, do anything yhich appears
to them necessary for the purpose of removing the , difficulty.
--___ ----
1 This word was substituted for the word l'Provin~ial" by the
Adaptation Order of 1950.
a Sections 10 and I1 were repealed by sectio~~ 2 of and the First
Schedule to, the Tamil Nadu Repealing and ~n,enbitl~ Act, 1952
(Tamil Nadu Act XI of 1952).