Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any other law for the time being in' force or any custon;t or usage or any mstrument having effect by virtue of any such law or any decree or order of court, every place of public worship which is open to Hindus generally or to any section or class thereof, shall be open to all sections and classes of Hindus ; and no Hindu of whatsoever section or class shall, in any manner, be prevented, obstructed or discouraged from entering such place of public worship, or from worshipping or offering prayers thereat, or performing ,any religious service therein, in the like manner and to the like extent as any ._other Hmdu of whatsoever section or class may so enter, worship, pray or perform :
Provided that in the case of a place of public worship which is a temple founded for the benefit of any religious denomination or section thereof, the provisions of this section shall be- subject to the right of that religious denomination or section, as the case may be, to manage its own affairs in matters of religion.
4. Power to make regulations for the maintenance of order and decorum and the due performlmce of ntes and ceremonies zn places of public worship. ( I) The trustee or any other person in charge of any place of public worship shall haVe power, subject to the control of the competent authonty and any rules which may be made by that authority, to make regulations for the maintenance of order and decorum in the place of public worship and the due observance of the religious rites and cere• monies performed therein :
Provided that no regulation made under this sub-section shall discriminate in any manner whatsoever, against any Hindu on the ground that he belongs to a particular section or class.
(2) The competent authority referred to in sub-section (I) shall be,-
(i) in relation to a place of public worship situated in any area to which Part I of the Travancore-Cochin Hindu Religious Insti tutions Act, 1950 (Travancore-Cochin Act XV of 1950), extends, the Travancore Devaswom Board ;
(ii) in relation to a place of pubhc worship situated in any area to which Part 11 of the said Act extends, the Cochin Devaswom Board; and 36 · (iii) in relatwn to a place of public worship situated in any other area m the State of Kerala, the Government.