The Supreme Court today agreed to list for hearing a PIL filed by former Rajya Sabha lawmaker Subramanian Swamy seeking a direction to the Centre to declare the Ram Sethu a national heritage monument.
A bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice PS Narasimha, and Justice JB Pardiwala noted the BJP leader’s submissions who mentioned the matter stating that the government has not taken any decision to date. Swamy said the Centre has been delaying the matter for more than 9 years now. “We will list it early,” the bench said.
On January 19, the Centre told the apex court that it was considering declaring the Ram Sethu a national heritage monument. The apex court asked the BJP leader to make a representation to the government if he wished so.
The court also asked the Centre to decide on the issue, granted Swamy the liberty to approach it again if he was dissatisfied, and disposed of his interim application on the issue. Ram Sethu, also known as Adam’s bridge, is a chain of limestone shoals between Pamban Island, off the south-eastern coast of Tamil Nadu, and Mannar Island, off the north-western coast of Sri Lanka.
