Kerala withdraws from introducing Church Act

Last month law reforms commission chairman published the draft law in their website, seeking public opinion and suggestions.

Kodiyeri Balakrishnan (Photo: Times of India)

Kottayam:  Following protest from Church groups across Kerala, the government has withdrawn from a move to introduce a bill aimed at managing temporal properties of churches in the state.

Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, state secretary of the ruling Communist Party of India on Feb. 25 said the bill, known widely as Kerala Church Act, was not being considered by the state government.

The government would not intervene in the issues related to the church, he said, according to a report in the Times of India.

Last month law reforms commission chairman published the draft law in their website, seeking public opinion and suggestions.

Balakrishnan said what was published in the website was only a recommendation of the chairman of the law reforms commission, and it which eventually led to some confusion.

“It was the chairman’s personal view. The government did not even discuss the Act,” he said.

Syro Malabar Church and the Orthodox Church were the first to come out against the proposal.

The Act was mooted to ensure fair and transparent administration of all properties and funds of Churches in Kerala and to provide remedies for maladministration, if any.

The party has already lost some of its support base following the Sabarimala temple issue, in which the government supported the entry of young women to the temple violating a tradition.

Reports say party cannot afford to lose the support of Christians, an influential vote bloc in Kerala, ahead of the general elections.

Source: Times of India