PIL On 'Pitiable Condition' Of 1st Prez Dr. Rajendra Prasad Memorials: Patna HC Directs Inspection, Seeks Reply Of Centre, Bihar Govt

Dealing with a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) plea filed highlighting the pitiable state of affairs of the memorials of the first president of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad situated at three different places of Bihar, the Patna High Court on Thursday sought the reply of the Union and State Government.

The Bench of Chief Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice S. Kumar appointed a team of Local Commissioners to visit the Memorials and ascertain the actual status of the infrastructure and the affairs and to give suggestions as to how best the memorials at all the three places can be improved and the infrastructure improvised.

Essentially, the Court was hearing the PIL filed by one Vikas Kumar over the pitiable state of affairs and the condition in which the memorials of Dr. Prasad are being maintained at village Jiradei, District, Siwan; Bans Ghat, Patna; and the place of his last abode at Sadakat Ashram, Patna.

Averring that it need not highlight what is averred in the petition, for it would only put all of us to embarrassment; shame; and guilt, the Court appointed a team of following persons as Local Commissioners:-

(i) Smt. Nivedita Nirvikar, Senior Advocate;

(ii) Shri Shambhu Sharan Singh, Advocate; and

(iii) Shri Sanjeev Kumar, Advocate, to visit the place and ascertain the actual status of memorials and give their suggestions within 2 days. The Court has also directed the District Magistrates of Siwan and Patna to render all assistance to the Local Commissioners.

Speaking to Live Law, Senior Advocate Nivedita Nirvikar confirmed that the team visited the aforementioned places as per the directions of the High Court, and it would be submitting its report on the next date of hearing i.e., 3rd January 2022 before the Court.

About Dr. Rajendra Prasad

Dr. Rajendra Prasad, son of Mahadev Sahai, was born in Zeradei, siwan, Bihar on December 3, 1884. In July 1946, when the Constituent Assembly was established to frame the Constitution of India, he was elected its President.

Two and a half years after independence, on January 26, 1950, the Constitution of independent India was ratified and he was elected the nation's first President. In 1962, after 12 years as President, Dr. Prasad retired and was subsequently awarded the Bharat Ratna, the nation's highest civilian award. (source: https://siwan.nic.in/dr-rajendra-prasad/).

Dr. Rajendra Prasad spent the last few months of his life in retirement at the Sadaqat Ashram in Patna.

Case title - Vikas Kumar v. The Union of India & Ors.

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