The Supreme Court has cleared the way for the removal of a Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Goa after refusing to intervene in a Bombay High Court decision that declared the structure illegal.
A two-judge bench comprising Justices M M Sundresh and Sheel Nagu dismissed the challenge to the high court order after the petitioners chose to withdraw their appeal. The petitioners, identified as Rajendra Laxman Parab and others, opted to retract their Special Leave Petition upon realizing the apex court was not inclined to block the lower court’s directive.
Background Of The Dispute
The legal battle stems from an April 7 ruling by the Bombay High Court, which ordered the removal of the statue of the Maratha warrior king. The high court had ruled that the monument was set up illegally and in direct violation of local laws. The statue is situated on land owned by the Mormugao Port Authority in Goa.
Supreme Court Dismissal And Next Steps
During the apex court hearing, the bench officially permitted the petitioners’ counsel to withdraw the case. While dismissing the petition, the Supreme Court granted the petitioners the liberty to file a fresh application before the Bombay High Court to request a modification or variance of the original removal order.
