The Supreme Court has issued notice to the Rajasthan government on a plea by Jaipur’s royal family claiming ownership of the iconic Town Hall. They argue the government’s license to use the property has expired after the Vidhan Sabha moved.
New Delhi: Today, on June 02, the Supreme Court of India has sent a notice to the Rajasthan government after a petition was filed by members of the former royal family of Jaipur Rajmata Padmini Devi, Diya Kumari, and Sawai Padmanabh Singh.
The petition asks the court to stop any structural changes to the historic building known as the “Town Hall (Old Vidhan Sabha)” in Jaipur and to maintain the status quo.
ALSO READ: Rajasthan Anti-Conversion Law: Key Provisions, Legal Challenges & Controversies
According to the royal family, this Town Hall is their private property.
They say that the building originally belonged to the Maharaja of Jaipur and was only used by the Rajasthan state government as a Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha) on the basis of a license.
Now that the government has moved the Vidhan Sabha to a new building, the family believes the license has automatically ended and the property should return to them.
They have argued in court that:
“The building is our private property and was only used by the government under a license which has now expired.”
Earlier, the Rajasthan High Court had dismissed the claims made by the royal family.
The court stated that the Town Hall building, along with some other properties, had been handed over to the government of India through a legal agreement known as a “covenant” made in 1949 between the Jaipur state and the Indian government.
The High Court held that such properties, once included in a covenant, become government property meant for official use.
It also ruled that any disagreement related to the covenant cannot be settled in a regular civil court under Article 363 of the Indian Constitution.
However, the royal family continues to insist that the government was only allowed to use the Town Hall for Legislative Assembly purposes and not for any other project. Now that the building is being planned to be converted into an international museum, the family has objected to this new use.
Their lawyer told the court that:
“The property was used as the Vidhan Sabha on license. Since the assembly has now been shifted, the license stands expired.”
On the other hand, lawyers for the state government have argued that the property was not under any license, but was properly transferred to the state under the 1949 covenant, allowing them full rights to use it for any public purpose.
They maintain that:
“The property is covered under the covenant and belongs to the state.”
The Supreme Court has taken up the matter and issued a formal notice to the Rajasthan government, asking for a response. The case will be heard in the coming weeks.
ALSO READ: Plea before Ajmer Court Claims Ajmer Dargah Was Originally a Shiva Temple, Seeks Declaration as Bhagwan Shri Sankatmochan Mahadev Temple
Case Title:
Rajmata Padmini Devi W/o Late Maharaja Sawai Bhawani Singh Ji & Others v. State of Rajasthan & Others
Click Here to Read More Reports Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai
