Smt. Malabika Bisharad, the petitioner in PIL No. 13 of 2025 before the Hon’ble High Court of Meghalaya, has appealed to the Meghalaya Government to preserve the historic Laban Circuit House, also known as “Ray Villah”, and not take any decision to demolish the structure.
Following the final order passed by the Hon’ble High Court of Meghalaya, Bisharad expressed her gratitude to the State Government for deciding to install a statue and memorial plaque in honour of Bharat Ratna Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy at the Circuit House premises. However, she urged the government to protect the main concrete building, which she described as a symbol of history, culture and literature since the 1920s.
In a letter addressed to the Chief Secretary of Meghalaya, Bisharad referred to the statement regarding the High Court proceedings, which mentioned that the Meghalaya Heritage Authority had examined the site and concluded that the Circuit House did not fulfil the criteria for declaration as a heritage site under the Meghalaya Heritage Regulations, 2013. The statement also mentioned that the building was found to be in a dilapidated condition.
Bisharad, however, questioned the description of the building as “dilapidated” and requested the authorities to conduct another inspection before taking any final decision.
According to her, Bharat Ratna Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy built the house during the 1920s when he established the Shillong Hydroelectric Company Pvt. Ltd. in Shillong. She stated that the historic residence carries the memories and association of several eminent personalities, including Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
She highlighted that the house represents an important chapter in the history of Shillong’s cultural and intellectual development. Dr. Roy had planned the establishment of the Shillong Hydroelectric Company during his first visit to Shillong in October 1920 to provide electricity to the city. During the development of the Sonapani power project, Dr. Roy used to stay at this residence.
Bisharad stated that she personally visited the Circuit House on April 17, 2026, during an inspection conducted in connection with the High Court proceedings. She was invited to attend the inspection by Amicus Curiae Shri Subhasis Chakrabarty.
During the inspection, the High Court-appointed team examined the entire Circuit House premises. Bisharad said that photographs were taken from different angles and the main concrete building located in front of the garden was inspected.
She observed that the main building had been renovated by the State Government of Meghalaya in a sophisticated manner. The guest rooms were well maintained and some old materials associated with the house had been preserved in the drawing room. She also mentioned that the beautifully maintained flower garden added to the charm of the premises.
However, she stated that the Assam-type rooms at the backside of the building were locked during the inspection and their condition could not be assessed.
“From what we observed during the inspection, the main concrete building was not in a dilapidated condition,” Bisharad said in her appeal.
She further stated that if the Public Works Department demolishes the historic house and installs only a statue and memorial plaque of Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy, the significance of the memorial would be diminished.
“The statue and memorial plaque will have true value only when the historic building connected with Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy’s legacy is preserved,” she said.
Bisharad had earlier submitted a letter to former Chief Justice of Meghalaya Shri Soumen Sen on November 12, 2025, opposing the proposed demolition of the Circuit House. After learning about the final order of the High Court, she has also sent a request letter to the Governor of Meghalaya seeking preservation of the historic structure.
She has now requested the Chief Secretary and the State Government to give due importance to her appeal and protect “Ray Villah” as a historic symbol of Meghalaya.