Biju Samadhi: Court refuses Stay, accepts Appeal

The lower civil court in Puri, which had ordered the demolition of former Odisha CM and political stalwart Biju Patnaik’s Samadhi at Swargadwar in Puri within three months, has refused to issue a stay order, but accepted the plea of the district administration, which sought a judicial review of the verdict.

Civil judge (junior division) Srimayee Acharya had ordered the demolition of Biju Samadhi on December 27, while passing the judgement on a petition filed by by Puri-based lawyer Ramesh Prasad Singh in 1999, who alleged that the Biju Samadhi was illegally constructed by the Puri Municipality.

The petitioner had argued that since Swargadwar is a crematorium where bodies of all Hindus are cremated, it would be completely illegal and irrelevant to erect a memorial for an individual there.

The mortal remains of Biju Patnaik were consigned to the flames at Swargadwar on July 17, 1997. The Puri Municipality constructed the Samadhi of 40ftx40ft in 1999. Puri MLA Maheswar Mohanty was behind the move. He reacted to the judgement, saying several other memorials are also located at Swargadwar.