Closure on Red Fort Restoration: Decades-Old PIL Concluded

The Supreme Court concluded a decades-old PIL regarding Red Fort's restoration, noting compliance with conservation directions by an expert panel. Petitioner Rajeev Sethi filed the case in 2003, claiming conservation did not meet international standards. A nine-member expert panel was established by the court in 2004.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday concluded a public interest litigation (PIL) that sought the restoration and conservation of Delhi's 17th-century Red Fort. The PIL, more than two decades old, was originally filed by petitioner Rajeev Sethi in 2003, who argued that the monument's conservation had not adhered to international standards.

A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh noted that most directions concerning the monument's conservation have been complied with by an expert panel. In 2004, the Supreme Court constituted a nine-member panel, which included the Director General of the Archeological Survey of India, to oversee the comprehensive conservation management plan.

The court remarked that if any aspects remain unattended, the petitioner still has the liberty to file a fresh plea. The decision underscores the court's satisfaction with the progress made on the monument, emphasizing it as a cultural heritage site of global significance.

(With inputs from agencies.)