In a significant development in Jaipur, the acting chief justice of the Rajasthan High Court, Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma, stepped away from hearing a crucial public interest litigation on Tuesday. The PIL challenges the alleged illegal construction of a two-storey building within the premises of the historic Rambagh Golf Club.
Why the Judge Recused Himself
While the official order did not specify the exact reasons for the recusal, such a move typically occurs when a judge perceives a potential conflict of interest or wishes to ensure absolute impartiality in a case. This procedural step means the matter will now be placed before a different bench of the Rajasthan High Court for a fresh hearing. The development has added a new layer of judicial process to the ongoing environmental and legal tussle.
The Core of the Legal Challenge
The litigation was filed by the Central Park Banchao Sangharsh Samiti (CPBSS), a collective representing daily morning walkers at Central Park. Their petition rests on a critical earlier ruling. The group contends that the entire Central Park complex, which encloses the Rambagh Golf Club, was declared a no-construction zone by a previous high court order.
The petitioners presented a sequence of contentious events. They stated that following the construction of an underground parking facility, the Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) was compelled to demolish nine existing structures inside the golf club area. All nine had been officially declared illegal by the state government.
However, the CPBSS alleges that the JDA is now attempting to construct a new two-storied building as compensation for those demolished illegal structures. This new construction, they argue, blatantly violates the standing court order that prohibits any building activity in the designated zone, turning a legal corrective action into a fresh violation.
A Vow to Continue the Fight
The recusal has not dampened the spirits of the petitioners. Yogesh Yadav, the president of CPBSS, expressed a determined stance. He affirmed that the organization is prepared to pursue the matter to its logical conclusion. "We will fight this matter till the end. Now another bench of the high court will take up the issue," Yadav stated, signaling a prolonged legal battle ahead.
The case highlights the ongoing tension between urban development projects and the preservation of public recreational spaces and environmental norms in Jaipur. The outcome will set a precedent for how authorities implement court orders in ecologically sensitive or protected urban zones.
