New Delhi, September 27
The Supreme Court today declined to pass order for lifting the ban on night visit to the Taj Mahal to enable tourists to have its view in moonlight. It said that unless comments of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the Union Home Ministry were available no such order would be passed.
A Special Bench comprising Ms Justice Ruma Pal, Mr Justice
S.B. Sinha and Mr Justice S.H. Kapadia posted two applications of the Uttar Pradesh Government in this regard for further hearing on October 5 with the direction that the ASI, Home Ministry and Taj Trapezium Zone Pullution Control Authority
(TZPCA), Agra, be made parties to the case.
This has come as a setback for the UP Government, which had sought permission for organising cultural programmes behind the Taj Mahal, commencing today, to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the Mughal period monument.
The state government had sought lifting of the ban on night viewing on full moon nights and two nights before and after it.
“In absence of the ASI we cannot pass any order. The views of the ASI as custodian of the Taj Mahal has to be sought,” the Bench told UP Government counsel Ashok Desai.
It added that the comments of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which has been assigned the job of protecting the Taj, has to be obtained.
