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

June 6, 2026 Headlinesnews

2 min readMumbaiJun 6, 2026 02:03 PM IST

Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule Saturday said the Maharashtra government has put on hold its proposed law on Devasthan Inam lands after receiving a large number of objections and suggestions.

The draft law was placed in the public domain on May 7, and objections and suggestions were invited till June 5.

“The draft law is being withdrawn for now. A large number of objections and suggestions have been received, and hearings on them will be conducted till August 15,” Bawankule said.

According to the government, the draft law was aimed at protecting Devasthan lands, removing encroachments, and providing legal protection to temple properties.

“A large portion of Devasthan lands cannot be used because of encroachments. The government’s resolve is to make these lands encroachment-free,” Bawankule said.

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.

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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could affect around 5.5 lakh hectares of Devasthan land across Maharashtra and demanded that the draft legislation be withdrawn and reworked.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.

Vallabh Ozarkar is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express’ Mumbai bureau, recognized as an authoritative and deeply knowledgeable voice on the politics, governance, and infrastructure of Maharashtra. With more than nine years of experience in major news organizations, his reporting delivers high standards of Expertise and Trustworthiness.
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