ASI Licence Mandatory for Guides, Photographers at Konark Sun Temple: Orissa HC
Cuttack: The Orissa High Court has upheld the Archaeological Survey of India’s (ASI) licensing policy for photographers and guides operating at monuments under its protection, including the UNESCO-recognised Konark Sun Temple.
The court directed that individuals seeking to work in such roles must secure licences through the prescribed selection process set by the ASI.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Chakradhari Sharan Singh and Justice Savitri Ratho dismissed writ petitions filed by 154 photographers and guides from the Sun Temple, challenging the ASI’s decision to implement stricter eligibility criteria.
The petitioners argued that their livelihoods were at risk as the new policy imposed conditions, including a minimum educational qualification of matriculation, along with a mandatory written examination and interview.
The court noted that the ASI’s policy, introduced in 2017 under Rule 8(d) of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Rules, 1959, was a nationwide framework for regulating such professions at protected monuments. It held that interfering with this policy would undermine its implementation.
Petitioners had contested the move, citing infringement of their rights under Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to practice any profession.
However, the court maintained that the ASI’s mandate to regulate access and services at heritage sites under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, was legitimate and essential for maintaining the integrity of these monuments.
The 13th-century Sun Temple, designed as a massive solar chariot with intricately carved wheels and horses, is one of Odisha’s most iconic tourist destinations, attracting lakhs of visitors annually.
