The Supreme Court has taken suo motu cognisance of concerns surrounding the proposed relocation of the 135-year-old Central Secretariat Library (CSL) in New Delhi amid the redevelopment of the Central Vista area.
The library, currently housed in Shastri Bhawan, has a collection of more than 8.5 lakh volumes, including rare books, government publications, official records and gazetteers. The issue has attracted judicial attention as Shastri Bhawan is part of the buildings proposed for redevelopment.
Editorial Insight
Key Highlights
Important points readers should notice.
Issue/Event: Supreme Court takes suo motu cognisance of concerns surrounding the relocation of the 135-year-old Central Secretariat Library.
Location: New Delhi
Authority/Organisation: Supreme Court of India / Central Secretariat Library / Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
Action Taken: The Supreme Court has registered a suo motu case concerning the library's relocation and is scheduled to hear the matter. The Union Housing Ministry has clarified that space for the library has been provided under the Kartavya Path redevelopment plan.
Impact: The proceedings could determine whether the proposed relocation arrangements adequately protect the library's extensive collection, facilities and continued public access during Central Vista redevelopment.
A bench of Justice Sanjay Kumar and Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva is scheduled to hear the matter.
The case has been registered as a suo motu proceeding concerning the future accommodation of the historic library and its extensive collection.
The concern emerged around the adequacy and suitability of space being made available for the library as the existing Shastri Bhawan premises undergo redevelopment.
Editorial Analysis
Why This Matters
The Central Secretariat Library is more than a conventional government library. Its collection contains rare books, government publications, official records and historical material accumulated over more than a century. Any relocation therefore requires suitable infrastructure for storage, preservation, cataloguing and public access. The issue also highlights the challenge of balancing large-scale infrastructure redevelopment with the preservation of important public institutions. For researchers, government officials and students who use the library, the availability of a fully functional replacement facility is particularly important. The Supreme Court's intervention brings judicial scrutiny to the relocation process at a time when the future arrangement is still being worked out.
The Central Secretariat Library currently occupies around 5,500 square metres across four floors. Its collection is significantly larger than that of a conventional office library and includes historical and official material that requires specialised storage and preservation.
The library's collection includes rare publications, government records and gazetteers. According to information available from the library itself, it has around 8.5 lakh volumes and is the second-largest Central Government library after the National Library in Kolkata.
The library has been associated with the Government of India for more than a century. It was originally established in 1891 as the Imperial Secretariat Library in Calcutta.
Following the shifting of the national capital to Delhi in 1911, the library was also moved to Delhi. It subsequently operated from different government premises before being housed at Shastri Bhawan from 1969.
The current issue is linked to the redevelopment of government buildings in the Central Vista area. Shastri Bhawan is proposed to be redeveloped, creating the need to relocate institutions and offices currently operating from the building.
Questions were raised over whether the space proposed for the library would be sufficient to accommodate its complete collection and associated facilities.
The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, however, has clarified that the Central Secretariat Library has not been left without accommodation.
The ministry has stated that space for the Central Secretariat Library has been provided in the Kartavya Path redevelopment plan and that the necessary construction process is underway.
The Supreme Court's intervention therefore comes at a stage when the issue of the library's relocation and the adequacy of its future facilities is still being examined.
The Court has not yet issued a final finding on whether the proposed accommodation is adequate or whether the redevelopment plan requires any modification.
The case is significant because relocating a collection of more than 8.5 lakh volumes involves more than simply shifting books from one building to another. The library contains rare material and government records that require appropriate preservation, cataloguing, storage and access facilities.
The library is also used by government officials, researchers and students preparing for competitive examinations, making the availability of a functional replacement facility an important part of the relocation process.
The Supreme Court's decision to take suo motu cognisance puts the issue under judicial scrutiny and could bring greater attention to the preservation and accessibility of the library's collection during the redevelopment process.
