The Invalidation of Hindu Ceremonial Emoluments Act, 1926.

1926 : Bom. XI]   1 

THE INVALIDATION OF HINDU CEREMONIAL  

EMOLUMENTS ACT, 1926 

[Text as on 07th June 2024] 

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CONTENTS 

PREAMBLE.  

SECTIONS.  

 1.  Short title.  

 2.  Extent and commencement.  

 3.  Definitions.  

 4.  Right to claim ceremonial emoluments.  

 5.  Hereditary priest may be relieved of his obligation to perform services.  

 6.  Extent to which rights of hereditary Hindu priest or his alienee affected under the Act. 

  



2 The Invalidation of Hindu Ceremonial Emoluments Act, 1926 [1926 : Bom. XI 

  



1926 : Bom. XI]  The Invalidation of Hindu Ceremonial Emoluments Act, 1926 3 

BOMBAY ACT NO. XI OF 19261 

[THE INVALIDATION OF HINDU CEREMONIAL EMOLUMENTS ACT, 1926.] 

[13th October 1926] 

An Act to amend the law relating to the emoluments claimable by hereditary Hindu priests. 

WHEREAS it is expedient to amend the law relating to the emoluments claimable by hereditary 

Hindu priests and whereas the previous sanction of the Governor General required under section 80-A 

(3) of the Government of India Act (5 & 6 Geo. V 61) has been obtained for the passing of this Act : It 

is hereby enacted as follows :—  

1.  Short title.— This Act may be called the Invalidation of Hindu Ceremonial Emoluments Act, 

1926.  

2.  Extent and commencement.— (1) This Act shall apply to the whole of the Presidency of 

Bombay.  

(2) It shall come into operation on the first day of April 1928.  

3.  Definitions.— In this Act,—  

“Ceremonial emoluments” means all perquisites, fees and any other dues claimable by any person 

for religious ceremonials, on account of his being a hereditary priest or an alienee from hereditary 

priest. 

4.  Right to claim ceremonial emoluments.— No person shall be entitled to claim, as a matter 

of right, any ceremonial emoluments from any Hindu who does not call in the services of the person 

claiming those emoluments.  

5.  Hereditary priest may be relieved of his obligation to perform services.— After this Act 

comes into operation—  

(i) every hereditary priest who holds no inam land or receives no cash allowance as 

remuneration for the performance of his services to the village shall be deemed to be relieved of 

his obligation to perform such services when required by any villager to officiate or to provide a 

substitute to officiate at any religious ceremony in the village.  

(ii) a hereditary priest who holds inam lands or receives a cash allowance as remuneration 

for the performance of his services shall, at his option, on written application to the Collector, be 

relieved of his obligation to perform such services when required by any villager to officiate or to 

provide a substitute to officiate at any religious ceremony in the village if he agrees to pay full 

revenue assessment on his inam lands or, as the case may be, to forego his cash allowance; 

provided that such option shall be allowed to be exercised once only in the case of each inam 

grant.  

6.  Extent to which rights of hereditary Hindu priest of his alienee affected under the Act.— 
Nothing in this Act shall affect the rights of a hereditary Hindu priest or an alienee from such priest to 

the inam Lands or cash allowance attached to his office for the performance of any service pertaining 

to it, except to the extent specified herein. 

                                                   
1  For Statement of Objects and Reasons, see Bombay Government Gazette, 1925, Part V, page 488; for Report of the 

Select Committee see ibid, 1926, Part V, pp. 81-83; and for Proceedings in Council, see Bombay Legislative Council 

Debates, 1925, Vol. XVI, and 1926, Vol. XVII and XVIII.