THE TRAVANCORE-COCHIN HINDU RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS

(FOURTH AMENDMENT) ACT, 1990

(ACT 3 OF 1991)

          An Act further to amend the Travancore-Cochin Hindu Religious Institu­tions Act, 1950

          Preamble.— WHEREAS it is expedient further to amend the Travancore-Cochin Hindu Religious Institutions Act, 1950, for the purposes hereinafter appearing; 

          BE it enacted in the Forty-first Year of the Republic of India as follows:—

         1. Short title and commencement.— (1) This Act may be called the Travancore-Cochin Hindu Religious Institutions (Fourth Amendment) Act, 1990.

         (2) It shall be .deemed to have come into force on the 20th day of October, 1990.

          2 Amendment of section 61.— In section 61 of the Travancore-Cochin Hindu Religious Institutions Act, 1950 (Act XV of 1950) (here­inafter referred to as the principal Act), after clause (4), the following clause shall be inserted, namely:—

         "(4A) 'Hindu' means a person who is a Hindu by birth or by conversion into Hindu religion or who professes the Hindu religious—whether or not such person believes in God and temple worship:

          Provided that a Hindu member to be nominated or elected to the Board under section 63 shall be a person who believes in God and temple worship and who shall make an oath before the Secretary of the Board to that effect in the form prescribed by the Government for the purpose before he enters upon his office.".

          3. Amendment of section 65.— In section 65 of the principal Act, for the words "professes the Hindu religion" the words "is a Hindu" shall be substituted.

          4 Amendment of section 67.—In sub-section (1) of section 67 of the principal Act, for the words "ceases to profess the Hindu Religion" the words "ceases to be a Hindu" shall be substituted.

         5. A mendment of section 70.— Sub-section (3) of section 70 of the principal Act shall be omitted.

          6. Insertion of new section 73A.— After section 73 of the principal Act, the following shall be inserted, namely:—

          "73A. Appointment of Chief Commissioner.— In the event of all the members of the Board ceasing to hold office as such, the Government may, by notification in the Gazette, appoint an officer not below the rank of a member of the Board of Revenue and who is a Hindu as the Chief Commissioner to exercise such powers and perform such duties of the Board as may be specified in the notification till the new members assume office.".

           7 . Amendment of section 90.— In section 90 of the principal Act, for clause (c) of sub-section (1), the following clause shall be substituted, namely:—

          "(c) ceases to be a Hindu; or".

             8. Repeal and saving.— (1) The Travancore-Cochin Hindu Religious Institutions (Amendment) Ordinance, 1990 (6 of 1990), is hereby repealed.

             (2) Notwithstanding such repeal, anything done or any action taken under the principal Act as amended by the said Ordinance shall be deemed to have been done or taken under the principal Act as amended by this Act.