The Maharashtra Devasthan Inams Abolition (Draft) Act, 2026 is a proposed piece of legislation, or draft bill, introduced by the Maharashtra government in May 2026 to resolve complex ownership disputes over temple-owned lands. The concept originates from Devasthan Inam lands, which were large tracts of land historically granted by rulers to temples, mathas, and religious institutions for their maintenance. The problem the draft sought to solve was the long-standing issue of ownership, as these lands, totaling nearly 5.5 lakh hectares, were often cultivated by tenants for generations or subject to large-scale encroachments, but formal ownership was restricted.
The key mechanism of the draft was to grant ownership rights to the current occupants of the land. This transfer of ownership would generally require the occupant to pay a premium, which the government would then pass on to the temple trusts. However, plots used specifically for residential purposes were proposed to be granted ownership rights for free. The draft also connected to the Maharashtra Agricultural Lands (Ceiling on Holdings) Act, 1961, by imposing ceiling limits on the land. Furthermore, the draft Section 1(2) explicitly excluded lands covered under The Waqf Act, 1995, and the Hyderabad Abolition Of Inams and Cash Grants Act, 1954.
The draft has already undergone a significant change: it was withdrawn by the government around June 7, 2026, following strong objections from temple trusts and religious organizations. The government has since constituted a high-level committee, headed by Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue) Vikas Kharge, to review the draft and prepare a revised version. Critics of the original draft argued it abandoned the principle of a 2011 Corrigendum which mandated that land must be reinstated to the Devasthan upon breach of conditions.