brand logo

Registration of Buddhist places of worship to be made easier

22 Feb 2022

 
  • Number of approvals to be reduced as per Buddhist clergy request
  • Archaeology Dept. to be consulted on registration on lands of archaeological value
  BY Buddhika Samaraweera  The Buddhasasana, Religious, and Cultural Affairs Ministry has decided to make certain changes to the process of the registration of Buddhist places of worship in view of a request made by the Buddhist Advisory Council, to reduce the number of approvals to be obtained in the said process. Speaking to The Morning yesterday (21), Buddhasasana, Religious, and Cultural Affairs Ministry Secretary Prof. Kapila Gunawardana said that the Buddhist clergy had requested that the number of approvals to be obtained in the registration of places of worship be reduced. Accordingly, he said that the relevant parties should first make an application to the respective Divisional Secretary which the latter would then forward to the regional Sasana Arakshaka Bala Mandalaya. After that, he said that the latter would study the relevant application, following which the same would be referred to a committee within the said ministry. “Previously it was forwarded to the Ministry Secretary, but there are some allegations that when it comes to one person, they can be biased. Therefore, a committee headed by the Ministry Secretary has been appointed now and that committee will grant the final approval,” he added. Prof. Gunawardana further said that the registration of places of worship on lands with an archaeological value would be approved with the concurrence of the relevant Chief Prelate and the Archaeology Department. When queried whether these changes would be applied to other religions, he noted that there is a separate process to be followed with regard to the registration of places of worship of other religions. However, all the applications should be referred to the ministry, he emphasised. The council, during a meeting with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa last Friday (18), pointed out that it is important to hold further discussions before reaching a definite conclusion regarding the registration of new places of worship. There was a lengthy discussion on the construction and maintenance of new places of worship, the conduct of Sunday dhamma schools, regarding the Buddhist Temporalities Ordinance, the surveying of lands owned by the Archaeology Department in the North and the East, and the amendment of the Archaeological Ordinance.


More News..