Amendment status not verified — confirm the current text below against the official source.
Protection of place of worship from misuse, pollution or desecration—(1) A protected monument maintained by the Government under this Act, which Is a place of worship or shrme shall not be used for any purpose mconastent With its character. (2) Where the Government have acqu1red a prqtected monument under section 13, or where the Director has \pur- chased or taken a lease or accepted a g1ft or bequest or assumed guardianship of, a protected monument under section 5, and such monument or any part thereof 15 used for religious worship or observations by any communlty, the District Collector shall make due pr0v1510n for the protection of such monument or part thereof, from pollution or desecration,— (a) by prohibiting the entry therein, except 1n accord— ance With the conditions prescribed With the concurrence of the persons, if any, 1n religious charge of the said monument or part thereof, of any person not ent1tled so to enter by the religious usage of the community by which the monument or part thereof is used, or (b) by taking such other action as he may think necessary in this behalf. 17 Relinquishment of Government rights in a monu- ment.——W1th the sanction of the Government, the Director may,— (a) where rights have been acquired by the Director in respect of any monument under this Act by Virtue of any sale, lease, gift or Will, relinquish, by notification, the rights so acquired, to the person who would, for the t1me being, be the owner of the monument if such rights had not been acquired; or (b) relinquish any guardianship of a monument which he has assumed under this Act. 18 Right of Quecess to protected monuments.—Sub1ect to any rules made under this Act the public shall have a right )f access to any protected monuments. Protected Areas 19 Restrictions of enjoyment of property rights in pro- tected areas.—(1) No person, including the owner or occupier