SC issues notice to Rajasthan government in ex-royal family's plea against structural changes to Town Hall building

New Delhi [India], June 2 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the Rajasthan government on a plea filed by the erstwhile royal family who sought a status quo over the structural changes being made to Jaipur’s Town Hall, the old building of the State Assembly.

The ex-Royal family members including Rajmata Padmini Devi, Diya Kumari and Sawai Padamnabh Singh, have claimed that the building is their private property, as it belonged to the former Maharaja of Jaipur and the same was used by the State government as Vidhan Sabha (Legislative Assembly) on a licence.

Now that the State has shifted the Vidhan Sabha to a new building, the license stands expired, the former Royal family stated.

A bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Augustine George Masih also stated that the Rajasthan government will not precipitate the matter until the plea is decided by the top court. After hearing the parties, the SC posted the matter to be heard after eight weeks.

The members of the erstwhile royal family had moved to the top court, challenging an interim order passed by the Rajasthan High Court that had dismissed their plea. The petitioners have alleged that the State government wants to construct a museum at the said property which will alter the heritage look of the building. Hence, the petitioners sought a status quo to the alleged changes to the building.

The High Court had in its order upheld the trial court’s stance that the official use of the said property should be considered in wider terms and not in a narrow sense.

“The trial court in its order rightly observed that whether the said property was given on a licence or not and whether the purpose of giving the said property has been extinguished or not are triable issues which would be decided in the trial after evidence. The trial court rightly exercised its discretion in dismissing the temporary injunction application filed by the applicants,” the High Court had noted in its September 2023 order.

During the hearing at the Supreme Court today, the counsel appearing for the petitioners stated that the said property belonged to the erstwhile Maharaja of Jaipur, as per a covenant signed among rulers of the time.

As per the petitioners’ contention, the State government was not a part of the covenant and hence the title of the said building was never transferred to the government. The government had been using the building for official work as licensees; the royal family members have argued.

After hearing the petitioners, the apex court flagged a concern, stating if these arguments are accepted and the title to such properties is considered as per the covenants agreed upon by erstwhlie rulers, then every such ‘royal family’ member will claim that all government properties are theirs.

“Even in these suits probably half of Jaipur will be yours,” the apex court stated.

After hearing the submissions, the SC sought the State government’s response and posted the matter to be heard after eight weeks. (ANI)

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