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State Act · Kerala · Chapter III — Religious Institutions — General Provisions

Section 21 Power to enter religious institution

Madras Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1951 · Edition: Malabar, Kerala reference edition including the 2008 amendment

(1) [Any Member of the Board or Area Committee or Temple Advisory Committee or the Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner or Assistant Commissioner or such officers or employees of the Board or of a religious institution as may be authorized by the Board, the Commissioner], Deputy Commissioner, or Assistant Commissioner in this behalf, shall have power to enter the premises of any religious institution or any place of worship for the purpose of exercising any power conferred, or discharging any duty imposed by or under this Act.

(2) If any such officer or servant is resisted in the exercise of such power or discharge of such duty, the Magistrate having jurisdiction shall, on a written requisition from such officer or servant, direct any police officer not below the rank of Sub-Inspector to render such help as may be necessary to enable the officer or servant to exercise such power or discharge such duty.

(3) In entering the premises of a religious institution or place of worship, the person authorised by, or under sub-section (2) or the police officer referred to in sub-section (2) shall, if practicable, give notice to the trustee and shall have due regard to the practices and usages of the institution.]

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Judgments on Section 21

LOK 2026 (10) Ker. 284 · High Court of Kerala

Vishnu. P v. State of Kerala

Equivalent citations: 2026 KER 82678

A trust formed by a temple Devaswom to run a charitable hospital is neither a religious endowment nor a religious institution under the 1951 Act and does not discharge a public function; its staff cannot invoke Article 226 against disengagement.