Back
2025 Supreme(Online)(SC) 95703
SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
SURYA KANT, NONGMEIKAPAM KOTISWAR SINGH, JJ
MUNDONA RURAL DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION – Appellant
Versus
UNION OF INDIA – Respondent
Writ Petition(s)(Civil) No(s). 1428/2023
For the Appellants/Petitioners: Mr. Ashok Kumar Panda, Ms. Swati Jindal, Mr. Laxmi Kant Gaur, Ms. Vartika Sharma
For the Respondents: Mr. Vikramjit Banerjee, Mr. Anirudh Bhat, Mr. Yashraj Singh Bundela, Mr. Shubhandu Anand, Dr. N. Visakamurthy, Mr. Mahfooz Ahsan Nazki, Mr. Abhimanyu Tewari, Ms. Eliza Barr, Mr. Ankit Roy, Ms. Nimisha Menon, Ms. Divyangi Gupta, Mr. Samir Ali Khan, Mr. Pranjal Sharma, Mr. Anil Kumar Verma, Mr. Vikrant Singh Bais, Mr. Vinayak Sharma, Mr. Ravinder Kumar Yadav, Ms. Deepanwita Priyanka, Mr. Deepak Singh
Court emphasized the role of policy discretion in prioritizing rural amenities over judiciary intervention.
Headnote:This judgment concerns a petition filed by the petitioner seeking to direct the Union of India and State Governments to establish libraries in rural areas, highlighting their importance for education and information access. The Court recognized the necessity of village libraries while affirming that prioritization of amenities in rural areas depends on policy decisions by State governments without judicial overreach into financial or logistical aspects. The petition was disposed of with directions for State Governments to address library establishment within their resources.
| Table of Content |
|---|
| 1. petition for establishing rural libraries (Para 1) |
| 2. importance of prioritizing services in rural areas (Para 3 , 4 , 5 , 6) |
| 3. disposal of the petition with directions (Para 7 , 8) |
ORDER
1. The petitioner Foundation has filed the instant Writ Petition purportedly in public interest seeking a direction to the Union of India and the State Governments for setting up of libraries by the Gram Panchayats in rural areas.
2. We have heard learned senior counsel for the petitioner as also some of the State counsels, who have entered appearance and filed their counter affidavits.
3. There can be no doubt that the Gram Panchayats, as the institutions of democracy at grass-root level and the first instrument of constitutional governance envisioned under
4. The setting up of a village library is undoubtedly a laudable object. Such library would help in reaching out to the young children and the posterity to learn about our history, culture, literature, geography, the constitutional values, rights and responsibilities of the citizenry.
5. We, however, cannot be oblivious of the fact that adequate facilities for health, education, drinking water, hygienic conditions and other basic amenities required in the rural areas, if not more, are equally important. The prioritization of such basic amenities, in our considered opinion, is a matter of policy which can be left to the wisdom of the policymakers. It would not be prudent for a Court, in the absence of relevant data, facts and details of the financial conditions and prior commitments of a State or its agencies, to determine as to which of these facilities should be priortised overlooking the others.
6. We have already stated that establishment of libraries in villages across India will aid towards infusing democratic values, constitutional culture and access to information to those living in inaccessible areas. We, therefore, deem it appropriate to dispose of this petition by impressing upon the State Governments to look into this aspect of the matter and take necessary steps within the limits of their resources, and address the issue of lack of libraries in villages.
7. We hope and trust that some effective measures, especially towards promotion of e-libraries would be taken for which even CSR fundings can be explored by the States. With these directions and observations, the writ petition stands disposed of.
8. Pending application(s), if any, shall stand disposed of.
