Uttarakhand HC upholds Char Dham Devasthanam Management Act's constitutional validity

The Uttarakhand High Court had rejected a PIL filed by BJP leader Dr Subramaniam Swamy challenging the constitutional validity of Uttarakhand Char Dham Devasthanam Management Act,2019.

Dehradun: Uttarakhand High Court on Tuesday dismissed Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by BJP leader Dr Subramanian Swamy, challenging the validity of Uttarakhand Char Dham Devasthanam Management Act, 2019, that allows MPs, MLAs and state representatives to manage 51 temples in the state including Char Dham shrines of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri.

A bench of comprising of Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice RC Khulbe dismissed the plea.

Subramanian Swamy had filed a PIL in February in Nainital High Court challenging the constitutional validity of Uttarakhand Char Dham Devasthanam Management Act, 2019 to govern Char Dham and other temples. According to the Act, the administration and the control of major Hindu religious institutions have been taken over by the Uttarakhand government or by any authority functioning under the state government.

However, the priests expressed dissent with the Act and alleged that the government took the step to ensure its control over shrine-related matters, bypassing the powerful priest community.

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Former Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Harish Rawat had also urged the state government to scrap the Char Dham Devasthanam Management Act stating that the BJP leaders have started quarrelling among themselves regarding the administration.

Soon, BJP leader Swamy filed a PIL against the formation of the Char Dham Devasthanam Management Board and the Act.

Swamy had challenged the validity of the Act, on the grounds that it violates Articles 14, 25, 26 and 31-A of the Constitution of India.

The Uttarakhand assembly had passed the Char Dham Devasthanam Management Board Bill in December last year. In January, Uttarakhand Governor Baby Rani Maurya gave her assent for the Act.