The Supreme Court on Friday sought the government’s response to former lawmaker Subramanian Swamy’s petition seeking time-bound action on his representation to declare Ram Setu as a monument of national importance. “We will issue notice to the Centre and make it returnable in four weeks,” said a bench of justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta.

Swamy said his representation has been pending with the government since 2023. He filed it again in May but has received no response.

Senior advocate Vibha Makhija, who appeared for him along with advocate Satya Sabharwal, said the government is bound to protect the Ram Setu from any kind of misuse or desecration as it is a matter of faith for people who attach value to the Ram Setu as a pilgrimage site.

Swamy said the court in 2023 passed an order seeking the government’s response on his plea to declare Ram Setu a national monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. The plea sought a direction for a survey of Ram Setu.

The 2023 direction came after solicitor general Tushar Mehta indicated that the matter is under consideration. Swamy sent two representations to the government in 2023 and 2025 since the matter did not come up for hearing.

“This archaeological site is a matter of faith…of people treating Ram Setu as a pilgrimage [site] and…archaeological studies and scientific findings are foundational evidence supplementing the existence of the man-made monument as a pilgrimage for worshippers,” the plea said.

In July 2007, the court transferred a petition for the protection of Ram Setu from the Madras high court to itself. The petition raised fears of damage to Ram Setu due to dredging activity for the Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project. It said that the dredging activity shall not impact the Ram Setu in any manner.

Swamy made the culture ministry and the Archaeological Survey of India parties in his petition, requesting them to decide on his representation in an expeditious or time-bound manner.