IS TEMPLE PRIEST IN THE FACTORY PREMISES IS A AN EMPLOYEES ?

 IF HE IS IN ROLL OF ATTENDENCE  AS PER ACT, HE IS ALSO  EMPLOYEE.

Temple priest cannot become a worker/employee.  It is only his services are engaged for certain purposes and he does not come under the purview of the workmen/employee.  He will more or less deemed to be independent contractor.

Dear Kumar,

Different High Courts has observed in the similar matters as:

"It is clear that a pujari in a temple does not do any manual, unskilled, skilled, technical, operational, clerical or supervisory work,"

The courts further noted that "Puja (worship) by a pujari is an application of his knowledge of religious hymns, bhajans and aartis, which he has to recite in the temple. This work can not be considered by any stretch of imagination a work specified in the ID Act."

Hence ruled that:

 "a priest (pujari) in a temple can't be treated as a workman under the Industrial Disputes (ID) Act"

Kindly go through the following Judgments:

Pujari in a temple is not a workman.In this regard you may refer to the judgement reported in FLR (111) 2006 pg 814. But if you have taken him on rolls and paying his salary is paid by the company  as of other workmen, then he would be your employee. 

Pujari or temple priest is not coming under the purview of  workmen  since their duties are different  - during morning 4 hours and evening 4 hours or more to serve the devotees.  Travancore and Cochin, Guruvayoor etc., Devswam Boards have made bye-laws for the their employees to keep their interests.  However Temple Priest is Temple Priest when he is in temple duties and while working in factory premises as a factory employee, he has the equal rights of other factory workmen, subject to the factory works.  Is he a priest in the Factory premises or IS he a workmen in the factory?

yes

Who is the employer of the Pujari?

Hats off to Mr. Aejaz Ahmed for his message with citations !!

ID Act is not the onloy law governing workman.  There are paralell that employer can treat him at par wth the other employees. Armed Forces and Paramilitary forces employ Pandit/Maulvi/Grandthis/padri/monk who wear uniform and are part of force (not civilians) including frontier posting liability.