Maharashtra puts proposed Devasthan land law on hold after objections, hearings till Aug 15

The minister said the government believed Devasthan lands required legal protection to prevent them from gradually passing out of the control of temple institutions.

He also said several misconceptions had been created about the proposed legislation, and the government would use the consultation process to remove confusion surrounding the draft law.

The draft law had drawn opposition from several temple organisations, including the Maharashtra Mandir Mahasangh. The groups argued that some provisions of the draft could affect ownership and control of Devasthan lands by granting rights to existing occupants, cultivators, priests, managers, and others associated with such lands.

The organisations claimed that the proposed changes could affect around 5.5 lakh hectares of Devasthan land across Maharashtra and demanded that the draft legislation be withdrawn and reworked. They argued that Devasthan lands constitute one of the largest categories of religious land holdings in the state and sought stronger legal protection for temple properties.