Section 36 in Travancore-Cochin Hindu Religious Institutions Act, 1950
36.
It shall be competent to the Devaswom Commissioner by a notice to call upon the trustees or managers of any Endowment falling under the definition in Section2, clause (b) to submit periodocal accounts of income and expenditure or lists of properties, jewels, vessels, furniture or other things belonging to the Endowments under their charge or depute any officer of the Devaswom Department to examine and verify the same.It shall also be competent to the officer so deputed to call upon the trustees and managers by a notice to furnish him with all the accounts or other records or information he may require for the purpose of examination and verification and also to assist him in the examination of accounts and movable property.The notice shall be served in the manner prescribed by the Code of Civil Procedure for the time being in force for the service of summons.Where the officer deputed under this Section finds that any movables are likely to be removed or misappropriated, he shall make an immediate report to the Devaswom Commissioner taking such steps for their temporary safe custody as may be necessary. On receipt of such report, the Devaswom Commissioner may, after hearing the parties concerned, pass such orders as he may think proper.Any trustee or manager who wilfully or contumaciously disobeys any order passed by the Devaswom Commissioner or any notice issued under this Section shall be deemed to have committed an offence under Section 181 of the Travancore penal Code and he shall be liable to be prosecuted therefor."Trustee" shall mean, for the purposes of this Chapter the person or persons in whom the administration of the affairs of a religious endowment is vested in trust of holding any property in trust therefor, by whatever designation such person or persons may be known.
