(i)A party to a proceeding or a person having interest who is not a party to a proceeding under any provisions of the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1959 (Tamil Nadu Act 22 of 1959) may apply for a certified copy of any application, memorandum or statement filed or document relied upon by any other party thereto and of any order or decision made in such proceeding.(ii)(a)If any person having interest applied for a certified copy of any other official document relating to a religious institution, his application shall be supported by a Court certificate that its production is necessary in some suit or proceeding.(b)If the application is not supported by a Court certificate, he shall file an affidavit to satisfy the authority empowered to grant the copy that he is so interested in the subject-matter of the document concerned and that he requires the copy bona fide for his own use.(iii)If the application is supported by a Court affidavit and if the authority empowered to grant the copy considers that the document is one in respect of which privilege under section 123 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 (Central Act I of 1872), should be claimed if summons for its production were received from the Court, he shall refuse to grant the copy to the applicant and inform the Court which issued the certificate, that the document will be produced under the ordinary rules relating to the production of privileged documents if summons are issued by the Court.(iv)[ Subject to the conditions mentioned in sub-rules (ii) and (iii), the Government, [the Commissioner, the Joint Commissioner, the Deputy Commissioner or the Assistant Commissioner, as the case may be] [Substituted by G. O. Ms. No. 506, C. T. & R. E., dated the 13th December 1991.], may grant copies of the records of the respective offices.]
