The Supreme Court was today(July 30) informed that the State of Karnataka has decided to restore two 19th-century heritage buildings, the Devaraja Market building and Lansdowne Building in Mysuru.

A bench comprising Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice K Vinod Chandran was informed by Dr Aditya Sondhi, Senior Advocate (for the petitioner journalist). The Court was further informed that the State has gone to the extent of inviting expression of interest for the purpose of undertaking necessary repairs and renovation.

The bench passed an order asking the State to look into the suggestions given by Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) and IIT Rorkee.

The special leave petition was filed by G. Satyanarayana Gouri, a veteran journalist based in Mysuru, against the Karnataka High Court's order dismissing a plea seeking a writ of mandamus against Karnataka authorities to prevent the demolition or reconstruction of the two buildings in Mysore city. Reportedly, the buildings were to be demolished for redevelopment.

A bench comprising Justice Sudhandhu Dhulia and Justice Ahsanuddin Amanuallah, in an earlier hearing, had stated that the structures were not colonial-era buildings but those that belonged to the princely State of Mysuru. They are therefore heritage buildings under Section 2(1)(ea) of the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act, 1961 and an attempt must be made to restore them.

On December 4, 2024, the Court impleaded the Archaeological Survey of India and INTACH for the restoration of the said buildings. It directed them to file a detailed report about the structures' preservation.

Subsequently, the Commissioner of Mysore City Corporation had requested the Bengaluru Chapter of INTACH to carry out a comprehensive structural condition assessment of the Devaraja Market and Lansdowne Building and submit the findings in a technical report. As per the report, the Devaraja Market can be preserved by techniques, while retaining the form, character and other intrinsic heritage values associated with it. A similar report was given for the Landsowne Building.

However, on September 2, 2025, Senior Advocate Devadatt Kamat(for State of Karnataka) had informed that the State has taken a conscious decision to demolish the structures and rebuild them with the same facade. He urged that since the buildings fall within the State of Karnataka, the government should be able to exercise discretion.

Responding to this, the Court prima facie observed that if the INTACH report suggests it can be preserved, then it's better to preserve the buildings. But to get a second opinion, the Court requested IIT Roorkee to constitute an expert committee for evaluating the two buildings and to submit a report as to what extent the two buildings can be preserved as heritage structures.

The Court passed an order directing the State of Karnataka to deposit Rs. 5,00,000 as expenses incurred by the IIT Roorkee Committee for the purpose of undertaking inspection. IIT Roorkee submitted a report agreeing with the findings of the INTACH that the buildings can be preserved.

In view of two consistent findings, the Court observed, in its order passed in May 2026: "In view of the report of the Committee, we are of the view that both the structures should be protected and necessary renovations and restoration work should be undertaken."