📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Subeesh Balan സുഭീഷ് ബാലൻ
Politics
Supreme Court and High Court Challenge Denotification of Jantar Mantar as Delhi Adds New Heritage Sites
✍️ India Today
🗓 15 Oct 2026, 08:32 AM
👁 7
Petitions filed in the Supreme Court and Delhi High Court contest the removal of Jantar Mantar from the list of protected heritage sites, as the capital announces new heritage designations.
The Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court have received petitions challenging the recent decision to denotify Jantar Mantar, the historic astronomical observatory located in central Delhi. The petitions argue that the removal of the site from the list of protected heritage properties violates national heritage laws and undermines its cultural significance.
Jantar Mantar, built in the 18th century by Maharaja Jai Singh II, has long been recognized for its architectural and scientific value. The denotification was part of a broader review of heritage sites as the government announced new heritage designations across the city.
Legal experts say the petitions seek to preserve the site’s status under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. The courts will examine whether the government’s decision complied with statutory procedures and public interest.
Delhi’s administration has defended the move, citing administrative efficiency and the need to reallocate resources to newer heritage sites. The outcome of the petitions could set a precedent for how heritage sites are managed in the capital.
Jantar Mantar, built in the 18th century by Maharaja Jai Singh II, has long been recognized for its architectural and scientific value. The denotification was part of a broader review of heritage sites as the government announced new heritage designations across the city.
Legal experts say the petitions seek to preserve the site’s status under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. The courts will examine whether the government’s decision complied with statutory procedures and public interest.
Delhi’s administration has defended the move, citing administrative efficiency and the need to reallocate resources to newer heritage sites. The outcome of the petitions could set a precedent for how heritage sites are managed in the capital.