SC issues notice to Centre on plea to declare 'Ram Setu' national monument

The Supreme Court on Friday sought response from the Centre on a plea by former Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy seeking a direction to the government to "expeditiously" decide his representation to declare 'Ram Setu' as a national monument.

'Ram Setu', also known as Adam's bridge, is a chain of limestone shoals between Pamban Island, off the south-eastern coast of Tamil Nadu, and Mannar Island, off the north-western coast of Sri Lanka.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta agreed to hear Swamy's plea and issued notice to the Centre.

It posted the matter for hearing after four weeks.

In his plea, Swamy has referred to the January 19, 2023 order passed by the apex court in the matter.

On January 19, 2023, the Centre had told the top court that it was looking into the issue pertaining to declaring 'Ram Setu' as a national heritage monument.

The top court was then hearing Swamy's plea on the issue.

"The solicitor general states that the process is currently underway in the Ministry of Culture, but if the petitioner would so desire, he may also submit any additional material or communication as he may wish within a period of two weeks," the apex court had noted in its January 2023 order.

The court had asked the Centre to take a decision on the issue and granted Swamy the liberty to move before it again if he was dissatisfied and disposed of his interim application on the issue.

The fresh plea filed by Swamy said no response or decision taken was conveyed either to him or to the apex court till date.

It said the Centre is duty-bound to protect 'Ram Setu' from any form of misuse, pollution or desecration.

"It is also important to note that this archeological site is a matter of faith and 'shradha' of people treating Ram Setu as a pilgrimage and all these archaeological studies and scientific findings are foundational evidence supplementing the existence of the man-made monument as a pilgrimage for worshippers," the plea said.

It said after the January 19, 2023 order, Swamy had made a representation to the government on January 27, 2023 with all the accompanying documents.

The plea said the petitioner had again written a fresh representation to the government on May 13, 2025.

It has sought a direction to the Ministry of Culture "to decide the representation of the petitioner in an expeditious manner/time-bound manner in compliance of order of this court dated January 19, 2023".