HC permits Centre to hold celebrations at Hauz Khas deer park

NEW DELHI, March 18: Delhi High Court today allowed the Central Government to go ahead with the cultural event Satyamev Jayate' being or...

NEW DELHI, March 18: Delhi High Court today allowed the Central Government to go ahead with the cultural event Satyamev Jayate’ being organised to mark the first year of the BJP-led coalition at the deer park in south Delhi where the protected Hauz Khas monument is situated, but directed it to ensure that no damage is caused to the monument or the park.

A division bench, comprising acting Chief Justice Devinder Gupta and Justice K S Gupta, heard the counsel for Hauz Khas residents and Additional Solicitor General Kirti Rawal and said, “We are not inclined to grant any interim injunction against the event.”

The court passed the directions after Rawal submitted that the Government had cut short the cultural event to a one-day affair instead of the original schedule of two days, with a view to prevent any inconvenience to local residents. The number of visitors to the function has also been limited to about 3000.

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Further, he submitted that the Government also assured the court that no damage would be caused to the monument. The park would be restored to its original setting soon after the end of the show.

The judges in their interim order said, “We do not suspect that the permissions granted by Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and the Archaelogical Survey of India (ASI) will in any way cause any damage to the park and the park will be returned to its original shape.”

The court also noted the conditions imposed on the Information and Broadcasting Ministry by the ASI and DDA while they granted permission to hold the event.

The bench, while posting the matter for further hearing on May 25, directed the DDA to place the guidelines for utilisation of the park so that further orders could be passed.

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The court was hearing two PILs filed by several residents of Hauz Khas, the South Delhi locality which housed the two parks, which challenged the holding of the function there, saying that it would damage the monuments and the parks and also cause inconvenience to the local residents. Local Congress MLA Kiran Walia was also present in the court.