Section 5. Acquisition of rights in a protected monument.

(1) The Collector may, with the sanction of the State Government, purchase, or take a lease of, or accept a gift or bequest of, any protected monument. (2) Where a protected monument is without an owner, the Collector may, by notification in the Official Gazette, assume the guardianship of the monument. (3) The owner of any protected monument may, by written instrument, constitute the Collector the guardian of the monument, and the Collector may, with the sanction of the State Government, accept such guardianship. (4) When the Collector has accepted the guardianship of a monument under sub-section (3), the owner shall, except as expressly provided by this Act, have the same estate, right, title and interest in or to the monument, as if the Collector had not been constituted a guardian thereof. (5) When the Collector has accepted the guardianship of a monument under sub-section (3), the provisions of this Act relating to agreements executed under section 6 shall apply to the written instrument executed under the said sub-section. (6) Nothing in this section shall affect the use of any protected monument for customary religious observances.