SC cracks down on ASI, issues contempt notice over heritage site neglect in Delhi

The Supreme Court of India has issued a contempt notice to the Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for failing to comply with its directive on the conservation status of 173 protected heritage sites in Delhi .

A bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and N. Kotiswar Singh said the ASI’s failure to submit a detailed status report amounted to a “deliberate violation” of its earlier order. The court directed the ASI chief to file a show-cause reply explaining why contempt proceedings should not be initiated and ordered his personal appearance at the next hearing.

The court noted that while the Delhi government’s Department of Archaeology had inspected 19 monuments , its submission lacked specific details such as geo-mapping and precise locations . It directed the department to file a comprehensive affidavit , including monument-wise steps taken and updated photographs .

Similarly, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) reported surveying 62 out of 85 identified monuments , but the exercise remained incomplete, with insufficient clarity on the actual ground situation. The court extended similar directions to the MCD for a detailed status report .

The bench also expressed concern over the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) , which has surveyed only two of 54 monuments under its jurisdiction. It emphasised NDMC’s responsibility to coordinate effectively with other agencies for maintenance and monitoring.

The matter arose from a petition by Rajeev Suri over encroachment at the Gumti of Shaikh Ali , a Lodhi-era monument. The case has since broadened to highlight systemic gaps in heritage conservation and inter-agency coordination in the national capital.