Karnataka govt. to seek to vacate court stay against implementation of Chamundeshwari Act

PTI, Aug 13, 2024, 6:55 PM IST

Source: PTI / File

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the state government will seek to vacate the stay by the High Court against the implementation of the Chamundeshwari Kshetra Development Authority Act of 2024.

The High Court had temporarily stayed the implementation of the Act, after a member of the erstwhile Mysuru royal family — Pramoda Devi Wadiyar — challenged its legality.

Passed in February, the Act aims to provide for the constitution of an independent statutory authority to undertake the work of “development and maintenance” of ‘Shree Chamundeshwari Kshethra’.

“We will try to vacate the High Court stay legally,” Siddaramaiah told reporters in Koppal district in response to a question on the High Court stay.

Home Minister G Parameshwara noted that authorities are formed for certain temples to ensure effective administration, as more money gets collected there, and also to provide good facilities to a large number of devotees who visit them.

“Money gets collected there, the government also gives money. To manage the administration, if an authority is there it will be better. So it was done in the case of Chamundi hills…They (royal family) have said it should not be done, the court will examine,” he told reporters here.

The interim stay was first granted on July 26 by Justice S R Krishna Kumar, who ordered that “….without prejudice to both the parties and by way of an interim arrangement, respondents are directed not to give effect to the impugned Act, till the next date of hearing.”

The stay was then extended on August 1 by Justice Hemant Chandangoudar, and the case is scheduled to be heard again on August 22.

Speaking to reporters in Mysuru on Monday, Pramoda Devi Wadiyar termed the Act as “unconstitutional” contending that Chamundi Hill is their private property.

She has alleged that the government had enacted it with an intention to take over the ownership, control and management of Chamundeshwari temple and other temples in Chamundi Hills under the guise of development and maintenance.

The temple and its surrounding areas have been among long-standing legal disputes between the Karnataka government and the erstwhile royal family.

The petition, filed by Wadiyar, contends that the Act is unconstitutional, violating several fundamental rights, and argues that the State of Karnataka lacks the legislative competence to enact such a law. Additionally, the petition asserts that the Act is arbitrary and illegal as it would infringe upon the petitioner’s rights.

Goddess Chamundeshwari is considered as the reigning deity of Mysuru and its erstwhile royals; she is also regarded as “Naada Devate” (state deity). Chamundeshwari temple is about 13 kms from Mysuru, atop of the “Chamundi hill”.

A temple that is over 1,000 years old was a small shrine initially and assumed importance over the centuries before becoming a prominent place of worship as seen now.

It assumed significance after the Mysuru Maharajas, the Wadiyars, came to power in 1399 CE, and were great devotees and worshippers of Chamundeshwari, who became their home deity and rose to religious prominence.