Central Secretariat Library: Supreme Court to hear case on relocation of historic Delhi archive

What is the dispute over the Central Secretariat Library?

The Supreme Court of India has stepped in to examine the relocation of the 135-year-old Central Secretariat Library, registering a suo motu case to address fears that one of the country's oldest government archives is being displaced without a clear future.

A bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and Sanjeev Sachdeva will hear the matter on Monday, 5 October. The case has been given a direct and unusual title by the court registry: "In Re: 135-Yr-Old Library 8.5 Lakh Books– And No Room In The New Central Vista Plan".

The court's decision to act on its own initiative followed reports that the library was ordered to vacate its long-term home in Delhi's Shastri Bhawan by 30 September. A directive from the Central Public Works Department on 17 September told the library and various ministries in the complex to clear out all furniture, equipment, and materials so the building could be demolished as part of the Central Vista redevelopment.

Why does the library matter?

The Central Secretariat Library is a massive institution. Founded in 1891 in Calcutta as the Imperial Secretariat Library, it moved to Delhi in 1911 when the colonial government shifted the capital. After stints in the Old Secretariat in Civil Lines and the North Block, it moved in 1969 to its current premises in Shastri Bhawan, where it occupies 5,500 square metres across four floors.

Its collection comprises more than 8.5 lakh books, including rare manuscripts, government gazetteers, and official records. It serves as a vital resource for central government officials, academic researchers, and students preparing for public examinations.

Reports that this vast collection was being evicted with nowhere to go triggered widespread concern. Some reports suggested the library was being offered just two rooms in the Kartavya Bhawan-2 complex, which represents a fraction of the space it currently occupies.

What happens next?

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has pushed back against claims that the library has been left out of the grand redevelopment plans. In a post on social media on 1 October, the ministry stated that space has been allocated for the library in the Kartavya Path redevelopment plan, adding that "the necessary process for construction of the library is underway."

However, the government has not yet clarified where the library will be housed in the long term, or how its hundreds of thousands of rare books will be stored and kept accessible while the new facilities are being built. The Supreme Court's hearing on Monday is expected to seek concrete answers on these interim arrangements and the final home of the historic collection.