Supreme Court seeks clarity from Centre over the proposed relocation of the historic Central Secretariat Library. (Img: X)
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the Union Government seeking clarity on the proposed relocation of the 135-year-old Central Secretariat Library (CSL), which houses around 8.5 lakh books and a significant collection of rare publications, government records and gazetteers.
The Bench of Justice Sanjay Kumar and Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva took up the matter after the Court initiated suo motu proceedings following reports highlighting concerns over the library’s accommodation under the ongoing Central Vista redevelopment project.
During Monday’s hearing, the Court directed the Centre to submit a detailed affidavit specifying the area proposed to be allotted to the library and furnish the actual layout plans. The Court also asked the government to clarify whether the proposed premises would be sufficient not only for the books currently housed at Shastri Bhawan but also for nearly two lakh additional books presently kept in cartons at R K Puram.
The Court’s intervention follows concerns over the future of the library as Shastri Bhawan is being vacated as part of the Central Vista redevelopment. The CSL presently occupies roughly 5,500 square metres spread across four floors and holds more than 8.5 lakh volumes, including historical and archival material.
The issue arose after the Directorate of Estates under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs proposed space measuring around 300 square metres in Kartavya Bhawan-2 for the library. The Ministry of Culture had earlier indicated that such an area would be inadequate to accommodate the library’s entire collection and associated facilities.
The Centre, however, has maintained that the library has not been left without accommodation under the redevelopment plans. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has said that space for the CSL has been incorporated into the Kartavya Path redevelopment plan and that the process for construction of the new facility is underway.
The Supreme Court has now sought concrete details to determine the extent and suitability of the proposed accommodation. It has also appointed Senior Advocate Haripriya Padmanabhan as amicus curiae to assist the Court in the matter.
The CSL traces its origins to 1891, when it was established as the Imperial Secretariat Library in Calcutta. Following the shifting of the national capital to Delhi in 1911, the library moved to the city and has been housed in Shastri Bhawan since 1969. It is regarded as one of the country's important repositories of government publications and historical documents.
The suo motu proceedings underscore the Court’s concern that any relocation should adequately account for the preservation, accessibility and safe housing of the library’s extensive collection. The matter will continue to be examined after the Centre places the requested details and layout plans before the Court.
