Minor may not understand consequences of what he is doing: Karnataka High Court in challenge to anointment of minor as Shiroor Mutt matadhipathi

Opining that a "minor may not understand the consequences of what he is doing," the Karnataka High Court on Tuesday urged the State government to reconsider its stand on the issue of anointing a 16-year-old as the Matadhipathi (chief pontiff) of the Shiroor Mutt..A Division Bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice N Sanjay Gowda orally said, "State will have to rethink...Otherwise State will have to turn a blind eye to many things happening to minors in the State. A minor may not understand the consequences of what he is doing.".The Court added that the situation cannot be over-simplified by saying that the 16-year-old boy or his parents have no issue with him being the Mathadhipathi. .The Court was hearing a plea a petition questioning the legality of anointing a minor as the 31st seer of the Udupi Shiroor Mutt community..When the matter was taken up for hearing, counsel appearing for the petitioner contended that material abandonment is imposed on the child, which is in violation of Article 21 of the Constitution. .On the contrary, the State government said that there is no bar in any statute on a minor being anointed as a pontiff. "There is no bar in any statute that a minor cannot be pontiff. It will be difficult to take action for us also....".The Court then asked, "Can a minor be subjected to this? At some instance we have to take a stand. If it is illegal, it is illegal. Parents are supposed to take care of the minors...".Finally, the Court directed the State government as well as other respondents to their file statement of objections within three weeks. .The matter will be next heard on September 13..The petition was moved by the managing trust of Sri Shiroor Mutt Bhaktha Samithi, Udupi, represented by P Lathavya Acharya and others.The petitioner submitted that there were a number of press reports as per which the Peetadhipathi/Matadhipathi of the Sodhe mutt had announced that a 16-year-old boy would be anointed as the Peetadhipathi of the Shiroor Mutt by conferment of Sanyasa..According to the plea, the reports further said that the devotees of the Shiroor Mutt had raised their objections to the same.Interestingly, the petition also said that the minor is not a disciple of Shiroor Mutt.Further, the plea contended that in March, a legal notice was issued to the Peetadhipathi to refrain himself from anointing any person as the Peetadhipathi of the Mutt and to also abstain from dealing with any of the immovable properties and idols of the Mutt.