The Supreme Court directed the Central government on Thursday to file a counter affidavit to the petition filed by Rajya Sabha MP Dr. Subramanian Swamy, praying for National Heritage status for Ram Setu.
Appearing as party-in-person, the Rajya Sabha MP contended that for the last eight years, the matter has been coming up, but the Union of India has failed to file an affidavit in the same.
The Bench of Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justice Hima Kohli told Additional Solicitor General Madhavi Divan, who appeared for the Centre, to file the reply.
Further, the Apex Court permitted Swamy to file his written submissions and adjourned the matter.
Earlier on August 17, Dr. Swamy had reiterated that the Union government was not taking a stand on the matter. He said if the Government of India was opposing the matter, they should come clear on it. Otherwise, it would be presumed that they were supporting it.
On August 17, the Apex Court had observed that it would hear Swamy’s plea seeking direction to the Centre to declare the Ram Setu as a national heritage monument and asked the Centre to clarify its stand in detail.
The Bench headed by Justice Chandrachud had then asked Swamy, who was appearing in person before the Bench, to let them go through the bulky case and urged that written submissions should be filed.
Also known as Adam’s Bridge, Ram Setu 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.
Swamy had apprised the Bench during the hearing that he had already won the first round of the litigation, in which the Centre accepted the existence of Ram Setu.
As per the Rajya Sabha MP, the Union minister concerned had called a meeting in 2017 to consider his demand, but nothing happened subsequently.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said at this point that it was an old matter and he will have to see what all has been filed by the Centre in the case.
The Apex Court had then granted time to the Centre to file a reply and asked Mehta to clarify his stand.
Swamy had raised the issue of declaring the Ram Sethu as a national monument in his PIL against the controversial Sethusamudram Ship Channel project, initiated by the Congress-led UPA government in July, 2005.
The top court of the country stayed the project in 2007.
The Centre had later said that it had considered the socio-economic disadvantages of the project and was willing to explore another route to the shipping channel project without damaging the Ram Setu.
As per the affidavit filed by the Government of India, The Central Government intended to explore an alternative to the earlier alignment of the Skeletomuscular Ship Channel project, without affecting or damaging the Adam’s Bridge or Ram Setu in the interest of the nation.