Govt. to revise the Buddhist temporalities ordinance

• The new legislation will also give the power to evict those who use these lands illegally or unauthorised

By Sandun A. Jayasekera

Huge swathes of lands under the outdated Buddhist temporalities ordinance of 1931 passed during the colonial rule remain misused, neglected or unused and therefore the government has decided to revise the said ordinance for the better utilisation of these lands, Minister Bandula Gunawardana said.

 The amendments will pave the way to use lands belonging to Buddhist religious establishments and temples in a more profitable and productive manner paying better dividends to the state and to those who own them.
The new legislation will also give the power to evict those who use these lands illegally or unauthorised with no return to the landowners, the temple or Vihara, he said.

“The objective of the government is to commercially utilise these lands benefitting the state and temples who own them and also to evict those who use these lands unauthorised with no any dividends to the landowner, Minister Gunawardana emphasised.       

Minister Gunawardana said the government also has decided to draft a Theravada Monk Discourse (Registration) Act afresh.

Although steps were taken several times before to amend the Buddhist Temporalities Ordinance No. 19 of 1931, the amendments could not be finalised due to the non-agreement on the ideas and proposals presented by various parties. But the relevant parties have now reached an agreement on the proposed amendments, Minister Gunawardana said. Various parties have submitted proposals to introduce an Act including provisions to enforce the decision of the Sangha Sabha, in the event that any monk does not follow the decision reached by the Sangha Sabha of any sect or party.

It has been decided to take these suggestions into consideration and further revise the basic bill for drafting the Theravada Monk Discourse (Registration) Act and prepare the said bill accordingly.

The Mahanayakas of the Malwathu and Asgiriya chapters and Mahanayakas of Ramanna and Amarapura Nikayas have given their blessings and approval for the two amendments, he said. 

• The government also has decided to draft a Theravada Monk Discourse (Registration) Act afresh