Full Breakdown
Supreme Court Takes Suo Motu Action on Central Secretariat Library Relocation
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Hearing Scheduled for Library Relocation Issue
A bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and Sanjeev Sachdeva will hear a suo motu writ petition concerning the proposed relocation of the Central Secretariat Library (CSL) on Monday, October 5, 2026. *, was registered on October 3.
Background & Context: Library’s History and the Central Vista Project
The CSL was founded in 1891 as the Imperial Secretariat Library in Calcutta (now Kolkata). Following the 1911 decision by King George V to shift the capital to Delhi, the library moved to the Old Secretariat Building in Civil Lines, later to the North Block, and finally to Shastri Bhawan in 1969, where it occupies four floors.
The Central Vista redevelopment plan envisions demolishing Shastri Bhawan to create a new parliamentary and administrative complex along Kartavya Path. The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) issued an order on September 17 directing the CSL and other ministries in Shastri Bhawan to vacate all furniture, equipment and premises by September 30 to enable demolition.
Data & Statistics: Size and Collection
- The library spans roughly 5,500 sq m across four floors of Shastri Bhawan.
- It houses more than 8.5 lakh books, making it the second-largest government library in India after the National Library in Kolkata.
- The collection includes rare volumes such as a 1702 French travel compilation, works by Horace Hayman Wilson (1871, 1862) and Henry Beveridge (1872).
- In January, the Directorate of Estates under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) allotted two rooms of 300 sq m at Kartavya Bhawan-2 for the CSL, a space the Ministry of Culture deemed insufficient.
Official Statements & Responses
- The Supreme Court’s registry note records that “The competent authority (Chief Justice of India) has been pleased to direct the registration of a fresh suo moto writ petition.” “The competent authority (Chief Justice of India) has been pleased to direct the registration of a fresh suo moto writ petition.” — The CSL
- The CPWD order of September 17 required the CSL to hand over vacant possession of Shastri Bhawan for demolition and reconstruction.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Media outlets have presented differing accounts of the library’s relocation status:
- Several reports (e.g., The Hindu, Hindustan Times, Business Today) indicated that no space had been allocated for the CSL in the Central Vista plan, prompting the Supreme Court’s intervention.
- The MoHUA’s October 1 clarification asserts that space has been provided within the Kartavya Path plan, though it does not specify the exact location or size of the new premises.
The discrepancy between the initial reports of “no space” and the ministry’s later clarification remains unresolved, and the Supreme Court hearing is expected to address the adequacy of the proposed accommodation and preservation measures for the library’s rare collection.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The competent authority (Chief Justice of India) has been pleased to direct the registration of a fresh suo moto writ petition.” — The CSL
What’s Next
The Supreme Court will consider the petition on October 5, 2026. The outcome will determine whether the CSL receives a dedicated facility within the Kartavya Path redevelopment, and what preservation protocols will be mandated for its extensive historical holdings.