Fate of temples bill left to House

A Jammu and Kashmir Assembly panel today failed to evolve a consensus on inclusion of all temples, including those administered by Trusts, under the ambit of Kashmiri Hindus Shrines and Religious Places Bill.
The panel left it to the House to decide the fate of the legislation, said Mir Saifullah, Law minister and Chairman of the Select Committee on the Bill.
"The Committee discussed the Kashmiri Hindus Shrines and Religious Places (Management and Regulation) Bill clause by clause but could not evolve any consensus on some important issues," he told the Assembly.
Presenting in the House the report of the Committee, Mir said "we have decided the proposed piece of legislation in its original form along with notes and opinion given by the members be tabled on the floor of the House for deciding its fate."

The Committee submitted the report without suggesting any amendments in the Bill which was aimed at saving religious places of Hindus in Kashmir from encroachment and vandalism.
There was no unanimity among the members on the proposed jurisdiction of the management boards, the Law minister said.

The Bill was introduced in the House on March nine, 2009 and was taken up for consideration and passing on April five last year.
It was referred to the Select Committee after a motion in this regard was adopted by the House.
The members of the Committee are Chaman Lal Gupta (BJP), Dr Mustafa Kamal (NC), Harsh Dev Singh (JKNPP), Abdul Rehman Veeri (PDP), M Y Tarigami (CPI-M), Indu Pawar (Cong), Ashwani Kumar and Hakeem Yasin (both Independent MLAs).

As per the statement of the Bill, the legislation seeks to provide for better management, protection, administration and governance of Kashmiri Hindu shrines and religious places.