Bengaluru/Mangaluru: The invitation card row of Puttur Mahalingeshwara Temple has reached the High Court.

The Court on Thursday admitted the petition seeking directions to remove the name of Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner A B Ibrahim from the invitation card for the annual jathra (fair) of Sri Mahalingeshwara Temple in Puttur to be held on April 10.
Stating that it is on contrary to the Karnataka Religious Charitable Endowments Act of 1997, petitioner Naveen Kulal’s advocate M Arun Shyam submitted the amended prayer seeking to restrain the DC from discharging his duties with respect to the said temple.

The petitioner has also sought directions not to print deputy commissioner’s name on the invitation for the annual jathra.
Kulal, a resident of Mangaluru contended that as per Section 7 of the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Act, 1997, deputy commissioner or other official appointed to carry out the purposes of the Act should be a person professing Hindu religion, and shall cease to hold office as such when he ceases to profess that religion.

The annual jathra is scheduled to be held on April 10, 2016 in Puttur.  

Justice AS Bopanna adjourned the next hearing to Monday (March 28).