Definitions

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,-

1. (a) "Charitable Endowments" means all property given or endowed for the benefit of, or used as of right by the community or any section thereof for the support or maintenance of objects of utility to the said community or section, such as sarais, rest-houses, pathshalas, schools and colleges, houses for feeding the poor and institution for advancement of education,. medical relief fund and Public health or other objects of like nature and includes the institution concerned;
2. (b) "Commissioner" means the Commissioner appointed under section 3 and includes every officer, who for the time being exercises the powers and performs the functions of a Commissioner under this Act or the rules made thereunder;
3. (c) "Financial Commissioner" shall mean the Financial Commissioner appointed by the Government to exercise the powers under this Act;
4. (d) "Government" means the Government of Himachal Pradesh;
5. (e) "hereditary trustee" means the trustee of a religious institution succession to whose office devolves by hereditary right or by nomination by the trustee for the time being in office or is regulated by custom or is specifically provided for by the founder, so long as such scheme of succession is in force;
6. (f) "Hindu Public Religious Institution" means a math, temple and endowment attached thereto or a specific endowment, established with a religious object for a public purpose and includes,-
   • (i) all property movable or immovable belonging to or given or endowed for worship, in maintenance or improvement of, additions to, a math or temple, for the performance of any service or charity connected therewith;
   • (ii) the idols installed in the math or temple, clothes, ornaments and things for decoration etc.; and
   • (iii) religious institution under the direct control of the State Government; but does not include ,-
   • (i) such private religious maths or temples in which the public are not interested; and
   • (ii) the gifts of the property made as personal gifts to the mahant, service-holder or other employee of a religious institution;
7. (g) "math" means a math as understood under Hindu law;
8. (h) "non hereditary trustee" means a trustee who is not a hereditary trustee;
   • (i) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made by the Government under this Act;
9. (j) "pujari" includes a panda or other person who performs or conducts puja or other rituals;
10. (k) "schedule" means the schedule appended to this Act;
11. (l) "temple" means a place, by whatever designation known, used as a place of public religious worship, and dedicated to, or for the benefit of, or used as of right by, the Hindu community or any section thereof as a place of public religious worship; and
12. (m) "trustee" means any person or body of persons, by whatever designation known, in whom or in which the administration of Hindu Public Religious Institution and Charitable Endowments is vested, and includes any person or body of persons who or which is liable as if such person or body of persons were a trustee.