Compensation to certain religious or charitable institutions of a public nature

(1) Where a Thiruppuholder whose right to receive payment of Thiruppuvaram has been extinguished is, at the commencement of this Act, a religious or charitable institution of a public nature established and maintained by a religious denomination or any section thereof, the Government shall, by way of compensation, pay to the institution every year an amount equal to the Thiruppuvaram payable annually to the institution after deducting five percentum thereof by way of collection charges: Provided that no such deduction shall be made in cases where the liability to pay Thiruppuvaram was on the Government. (2) If any question arises as to whether an institution is a religious or charitable institution of a public nature established and maintained by a religious denomination or any section thereof, it shall be decided by such authority as may be prescribed. (3) Any person aggrieved by a decision of the prescribed authority under sub-section (2) may, within thirty days from the date of the decision, prefer an appeal to the District Collector, and the District Collector shall, after giving the appellant and the institution where it is not the appellant, a reasonable opportunity of being heard and after making such further enquiry as may be prescribed, pass such order on the appeal as he thinks fit. (4) The payment referred to in sub-section (1) shall be made to the institution so long as it exists.