Supreme Court Upholds War Memorial Construction in Dehradun

The Supreme Court refused a plea challenging the construction of the 'Sainya Dham' war memorial in Dehradun, which was claimed to be on forest land. The bench criticized the petitioner for not respecting the sacrifices of soldiers and dismissed the case, allowing continuation of the memorial’s construction.

In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a petition concerning the construction of the 'Sainya Dham' war memorial in Dehradun, upholding its legitimacy against claims of it being built on forest land.

During the session, Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi, and Vipul M. Pancholi addressed the petitioner's objections, urging respect for those who died in the line of duty. The court found no merit in the claims and suggested an inquiry into the petitioner's intent.

The decision aligns with a January order from the Uttarakhand High Court, which also dismissed the petition after acknowledging a joint survey report indicating the land was not forest land. The Supreme Court's dismissal supports the uninterrupted progress of memorial's construction, deemed nearly complete since starting in 2021.

(With inputs from agencies.)