JUDGMENT

1. This public interest litigation is filed seeking issuance of a writ of mandamus directing the respondentsAuthorities to refrain from demolishing or reconstructing Devaraja Market building and Lansdowne Building of Mysore City contending inter alia;

1.1. That the Devaraj Market and Lansdowne Buildings were built during the time of erstwhile Maharaja of Mysore Sri. Chamarajendra Wodeyar(1881-1894). That these buildings were planned to compliment and complete the setting of Mysore Palace and if buildings are not preserved, the Mysore Palace and Fort would lose much of its setting. That the aforesaid buildings have been listed and graded as heritage buildings in the Master Plan 2031 of Mysore Nanjangud Local Planning Area, indicating that they have been and are the prime land mark of the region.

1.2. That these buildings are in a dilapidated condition requiring restoration work. That during the restoration work taken up in 2015, North gate of the Devaraja Market collapsed on 28/8/2016 resulting in stopping of the restoration work. That opinion of experts was sought who had opined that the said buildings could be rehabilitated and put back to its original function with a scie