Shillong, June 19: A public interest litigation seeking heritage protection for the Circuit House at Laban, popularly known as Bidhan Bhavan, has been disposed of by the Meghalaya High Court after the state government agreed to install a commemorative bust and plaque at the site instead of granting it formal heritage status.
The matter originated from a letter submitted by Malabika Bisharad on November 12, 2025, expressing concern over reports that the building was facing demolition. According to the letter, the Circuit House had been built by Bidhan Chandra Roy in the early 1920s and had hosted eminent personalities such as Rabindranath Tagore and Subhas Chandra Bose during their visits to Shillong. The petitioner sought protection for the structure under the Meghalaya Heritage Act.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice W. Diengdoh took up the matter as a suo motu PIL and, on December 4, 2025, directed the Heritage Committee to determine whether the building qualified for protected status.
The Meghalaya Heritage Authority considered the issue during its meeting on February 23, 2026. In an affidavit filed before the court, Prafulla Kumar Boro, Director of the Urban Affairs Department and Member Secretary of the Authority, informed the bench that the Circuit House did not satisfy the criteria for heritage listing under Regulation 6 of the Meghalaya Heritage Regulations, 2013. The Authority, however, approved heritage status for Raj Bhavan (Lok Bhavan) under the Meghalaya Heritage Act, 2012.
Although the Authority ruled out granting heritage status to Bidhan Bhavan, it recommended commemorative measures, including the installation of a plaque highlighting the building’s historical significance.
During the proceedings, the bench observed that the structure was in a dilapidated condition and could not realistically be preserved as a heritage building. Instead, the judges proposed installing a bust of Bidhan Chandra Roy along with a commemorative plaque within the premises.
Responding to the suggestion, the state government implemented the proposal. Advocate General A. Kumar submitted a report from the Public Works Department (Building), Shillong, confirming that a bust and plaque of Dr Roy would be placed in a symmetrical garden setting at the Circuit House, accompanied by photographs and citation details. The court took the report on record as Exhibit X.
With the commemorative arrangements finalised, the bench observed that nothing further survived for consideration in the PIL and disposed of the matter on June 17, 2026. The court also recorded its appreciation for the efforts of amicus curiae S. Chakrawarty in facilitating the resolution of the case.
