The Supreme Court has sought a detailed response from the Union government on the proposed relocation of Delhi’s 135-year-old Central Secretariat Library, which houses more than 8.5 lakh books and is being moved as part of the Central Vista redevelopment project.
A Bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and Sanjeev Sachdeva directed Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Union government, to file an affidavit within three weeks explaining the arrangements made for the library. The court’s intervention came amid reports that the library had been directed to vacate its premises in Shastri Bhawan by September 30.
The Bench questioned whether the proposed accommodation would be adequate for the institution’s collection and users. “It is a library that dates back to 1891, with writings from 1802. It is very well to say that we cut down on paper, but that does not mean we cut down on valuable paper. You are allotting two rooms in Kartavya Bhavan, that’s it?” the court remarked.
The Central Secretariat Library is spread across four floors and nearly 5,500 square metres of Shastri Bhawan. Its collection includes rare volumes, official records and gazetteers. The library is regularly accessed by government officials as well as students preparing for competitive examinations, making the proposed relocation an operational issue as well as a question concerning the continuity of a major public knowledge institution.
According to the information placed before the court, the proposed arrangements involve space in Kartavya Bhavan. The Supreme Court has asked the Union government to set out the details of those arrangements in its affidavit, including how the library’s collection and functions would be accommodated.
The library’s history predates the construction of New Delhi as the imperial capital. Established in 1891, it was originally located in what was then Calcutta and was known as the Imperial Secretariat Library. After the decision in 1911 to shift the capital of British India to Delhi, it was moved to the Old Secretariat Building in Civil Lines.
The institution was later shifted to North Block and subsequently moved to Shastri Bhawan, where it has remained since 1969. Its holdings include writings dating to 1802, according to the court’s remarks, underlining the preservation requirements associated with its collection.
The proposed relocation forms part of the wider Central Vista redevelopment project, which has involved changes to government office accommodation in the central administrative area. In this case, the Supreme Court’s intervention has placed the library’s relocation arrangements under judicial scrutiny before the Union government proceeds with its response.
The government’s detailed affidavit is due within three weeks. The filing is expected to set out the proposed space, facilities and arrangements for the library following the reported direction to vacate its existing premises.