SC agrees to hear PIL seeking declaration of Ram Sethu as national heritage monument

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to list for hearing a PIL filed by former Rajya Sabha lawmaker Subramanian Swamy seeking a direction to the Centre to declare the Ram Sethu a national heritage monument.

A bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala took note of the submissions of the BJP leader who mentioned the matter saying the government has not taken any decision till date.

Swamy said the Centre has been delaying the matter for more than nine years now.

"We will list it early," the bench said.

On January 19, the Centre had told the top court that it was looking into the issue of declaring the Ram Sethu a national heritage monument.

The apex court had asked the BJP leader to make a representation to the government if he wished so.

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

Ram Sethu, 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.