Latest news with #pre-Constitution
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Replica 1738 fort in Florida a tribute to first free Black community
ORLANDO, Fla. — 'Viva Mose!' shouted the crowd of dignitaries, state park rangers and community members gathered at Fort Mose Historic State Park near St. Augustine on a sunny Friday in early May. The chant — translated as 'Long live Fort Mose!' — celebrated the ribbon cutting of a newly constructed replica of a 1738 fort that holds a special place in America's Black history. In 1738, the Spanish governor of Florida chartered the settlement of Fort Mose as a refuge for those fleeing slavery from English colonies in the Carolinas. Over several decades, an estimated 100 Africans made the first legally sanctioned free Black community in the pre-Constitution United States their home and safe haven from British rule. 'The reconstruction stands as a tribute to the courageous men and women who founded Fort Mose in 1738, ensuring their legacy lives on,' said Charles Ellis, the president of the Fort Mose Historical Society. 'By bringing this fort back to life, we enhance our ability to tell the story through on-site events, group tours, lectures and virtual seminars. Because of this, no longer will our fourth and fifth-grade students ask, 'Where is the fort?'' The reconstruction was made possible due to extensive research of the site that began in the 1970s and 1980s with efforts spearheaded by Dr. Kathleen Deagan, a University of Florida professor of archaeology, anthropology and history, and Dr. Jane Landers, a professor of history at Vanderbilt University. Financial support for the project came from public and private sources, including the Florida State Parks, St. Johns County, Florida Power and Light, Wells Fargo, the Jacksonville Jaguars Foundation, the Florida State Parks Foundation and more, who all fundraised a total of $3.2 million to turn this dream into reality. 'The reconstruction of the Fort Mose has been a labor of love, dedication and unwavering commitment which began in 2012,' Ellis said. 'When we broke ground on the reconstruction of Fort Mose, we didn't just build walls. We created a tribute to the resiliency and determination of freedom seekers who made the first legally sanctioned free Black settlement in North America possible.' In addition to exploring an indoor museum with a timeline of Fort Mose and St. Augustine history, visitors can now walk through a full-scale replica of the 39-foot-tall lookout tower that helped residents of the fort monitor for enemy attacks. Reenactors will help illuminate history and help visitors imagine what life was like in the 1730s during special events and tours complete with drills, pageantry and cannon firing. Construction on the replica fort began in January 2024, 30 years after the site was designated as a national historic landmark. Chuck Hatcher, director of the Florida State Parks, said collaboration is what made this project come to fruition. 'Archaeologists, CSOs, volunteers, park staff, division staff, artists and public officials have all worked together to make this project come to fruition,' he said. 'I would like to think if the people who were the original members of Fort Mose were here, they would be proud of what we've done and the representation of what they had.' While there is no blueprint for how to build a replica 1738 fort, the design was put together with the goal of being as authentic as possible while staying mindful of Florida's climate. The palisade walls and structural support beams that hold up the fort are made to look like wood but are constructed of concrete. Now, state park officials and volunteers who helped this project come together are celebrating the story of courage, resilience and freedom that the fort helps tell. 'Nearly 300 years after Fort Mose stood as a beacon to freedom seekers, it will stand again and be a testament to the power of freedom, bravery and the human spirit,' said Kathleen Brennan, president of the Florida State Parks Foundation. 'May this fort last 300 years and beyond to honor those who made their living here and to inspire visitors from all over the world, who will come here to experience what can only be found here at Fort Mose.' _________ Fort Mose Historic State Park Admission to park grounds is free. To enter the visitor center there is a $2 fee per adult. Children under 6 are admitted for free. Open every day from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Located at 15 Fort Mose Trail in St. Augustine; 904-823-2232; __________
United News of India
7 days ago
- General
- United News of India
SC agrees to hear Jaipur Royals' plea on historic covenants
New Delhi, June 3 (UNI) The Supreme Court has issued notice on a petition filed by Rajmata Padmini Devi, Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Diya Kumari, and Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singh of the erstwhile Jaipur royal family, challenging the constitutional bar under Article 363 over adjudication of disputes stemming from pre-Independence covenants between princely states and the Government of India. A bench comprising Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and Justice A.G. Masih on Monday signaled readiness to delve into the nuanced constitutional debate surrounding the continuing applicability of Article 363 especially after the repeal of its companion provision, Article 362, in 1972. Appearing for the petitioners, Senior Advocate Harish Salve, assisted by Senior Counsel Vibha Datta Makhija, contended that the 1949 covenant in question was not signed with the Government of India (GoI), but among five Rajasthan rulers, with the Centre acting merely as a guarantor. Hence, Article 363, which bars courts from entertaining disputes arising from covenants, should not apply. Salve invoked Articles 363 and 366, arguing that the ownership of the disputed properties existed prior to the covenant, and that the Constitution must now permit courts to re-examine the legal rights surrounding such properties. Justice Mishra, however, asked pointedly, 'Without the Government of India being a party, how did you merge with the Union of India?' He further questioned the broader implications: 'If your argument is accepted, then the entire state of Rajasthan would be governed by the King. "Will all princely states be free to claim their properties?' the Court asked. Salve responded that allowing adjudication was not tantamount to conceding ownership: 'Filing a suit is different from asserting rights. I'm only arguing on the right to be heard in court.' The petition challenges the April 17 judgment of the Rajasthan High Court, which had dismissed four civil suits filed by the Jaipur royals and their trust over iconic Jaipur properties including Town Hall (Old Vidhan Sabha), Hazari Guards Building (Old Police HQ), and parts of the City Palace. The High Court had ruled that these suits were barred by Article 363, which prohibits court jurisdiction over disputes related to pre-Constitution covenants. The court accepted the State's revision pleas and rejected the royals' claims under the Civil Procedure Code. The apex court bench observed that the matter raises complex constitutional questions: 'You have been non-suited because of the bar. We are not commenting on merits. But allowing your argument would mean half of Jaipur could be yours.' The bench issued notice to the respondents and listed the matter for further hearing after eight weeks. Salve requested interim relief, seeking to preserve the status quo. Additional Advocate General (AAG) Shiv Mangal Sharma, appearing for the Rajasthan government, accepted the notice and assured the court that no precipitative steps would be taken regarding the disputed properties. This case may become a watershed moment in determining whether India's constitutional bar on royal covenants still holds, or whether legal avenues can reopen for former rulers seeking possession or compensation over their ancestral properties. The bench noted, this legal challenge could either reaffirm the constitutional closure of the princely era, or rekindle claims from royal families across the country, testing the delicate balance between historical integration and legal continuity in the Republic of India. UNI SNG RN
Time of India
7 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Jaipur royals want state to return 145-yr-old Town Hall
NEW DELHI: Supreme Court on Monday agreed to examine whether a pre-Constitution covenant facilitating merger of Jaipur princely state with the Dominion of India could decide the ownership claim of the erstwhile royal family over the 145-year-old Sawai Man Singh Town Hall, or Old Vidhan Sabha, now proposed to be converted into a heritage museum. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now It will also examine whether courts, including the SC, was barred under Article 363 of the Constitution from entertaining any dispute arising from treaties and covenants entered between an erstwhile ruler of an Indian state and to which the govt of the Dominion of India or any of its predecessor govts was a party. Rajasthan govt's Oct 2022 decision to convert the building, used as state assembly from 1952 till the 1990s, into a heritage museum alarmed erstwhile royal family members who believe it is an attempt to erase their ownership over the property, which according to them was acknowledged in the March 1949 covenant signed between the govt of India and the United States of Rajasthan. Under the terms of the covenant, the princely states of Banswara, Bikaner, Bundi, Dungarpur, Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jhalawar, Jodhpur, Kishangarh, Kota, Mewar, Pratapgarh, Shahpur and Tonk merged with the Dominion of India. Under the covenant, the title of private properties of the princely state rulers would continue to vest in them. Appearing for Jaipur's erstwhile royal family, senior advocates Harish Salve and Vibha D Makhija said because of Article 363 — which bars courts, including the SC, from entertaining disputes arising from treaties or covenants — titles of erstwhile royal family members over private properties acknowledged by the covenant could not be completely extinguished. This constitutional provision could be given a restricted meaning to allow filing of civil suits to get back possession of properties admittedly belonging to royal families under the covenant, Salve said. A partial working day bench comprising Justices Prashant K Mishra and A G Masih was initially reluctant to entertain the petition as it apprehended that this would lead to heirs of erstwhile princely states to lay claim over huge tracts of land and villages owned by them earlier. But Salve said it pertained to only a few properties mentioned in the covenant and was not intended for widening title rights over villages. When the bench issued notice to the Rajasthan govt, its additional advocate general Shiv M Sharma and advocate Kartikeya informed the court that it would honour the pendency of the case before the high court and not precipitate the issue.
Time of India
02-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
SC seeks Rajasthan's reply in Jaipur Town Hall ownership row
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to Rajasthan government seeking its response to a plea challenging a Rajasthan High Court order pertaining to state's plan to convert Jaipur Town Hall (Old Assembly Building), the heritage building into a plea has been filed by Rajmata Padmini Devi , a member of the former royal family, Diya Kumari, and Sawai Padmanabh Singh. A controversy had arisen during the previous Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government, which had announced plans to convert the Old Assembly building into a heritage museum to promote tourism and decision was opposed by Rajmata Padmini Devi who had moved a civil court challenging the government's decision. According to Padmini, the 1949 covenant agreement signed between the royal family and the Indian government clearly mandated that the said building was to be used strictly for official purposes. She contended that any attempt to use the site for commercial or tourism-related activities would violate that on behalf of the petitioners, senior advocate Harish Salve, argued that the issue pertains to ownership rights and the terms of a pre-constitution agreement. He contended that since the legislative assembly has already shifted to a new complex, the state has no legal right to repurpose the old structure for any non-official or commercial royal family has argued that the Town Hall is their private property. They have contended that the building originally belonged to the Maharaja of Jaipur and was only used by the Rajasthan state government as a Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha) on the basis of a that the government has moved the Vidhan Sabha to a new building, the family believes the license has automatically ended and the property should return to the Rajasthan High Court had found no force in the claims made by the Royal family. The High Court had ruled that the Town Hall building, along with some other properties, had been handed over to the government of India through a legal agreement known as a "covenant" made in 1949 between the Jaipur state and the Indian High Court had further held that such properties, once included in a covenant, become government property meant for official the hearing today in the Supreme Court, counsel for the Rajasthan government argued that the legal dispute is rooted in pre-Constitution covenants, and hence, under Article 363 of the Constitution, it falls outside the purview of judicial counsel urged the Court to not pass any interim directions without allowing the state government to file a formal response in the matter.
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Government invites suggestions on draft Registration Bill 2025
NEW DELHI: The government has sought public feedback on a draft bill on registration of documents affecting immovable property and other transactions that is aimed at providing secure, efficient and citizen-centric practices across the country. The Department of Land Resources , Ministry of Rural Development , has prepared the draft ' The Registration Bill 2025 ', which once enacted will replace the pre-Constitution law -- The Registration Act, 1908. In a statement issued here, the Rural Development Ministry said 'The Registration Act, 1908' has served as a cornerstone of the document registration system in India for over a century and provides a legal basis for the registration of documents affecting immovable property and other transactions. "Over time, the role of registered documents has grown significantly in both public and private transactions, often forming the basis for financial, administrative, and legal decision-making. It is therefore essential that the process of registration is robust, reliable, and capable of adapting to evolving societal and technological developments," the Ministry said. It said several states and Union territories have already introduced innovations such as online document submission and digital identity verification under the existing 1908 Act. It added that it is equally important to clearly delineate the roles and responsibilities of registering officers, enabling them to uphold the integrity and reliability of the registration process in a manner consistent with applicable law. "Building upon these advancements, there is now a need to provide a harmonised and enabling legislative framework to support secure, efficient, and citizen-centric registration practices across the country. "The Registration Bill, 2025 has been designed to realise this vision," the Ministry said. They said as a part of pre-legislative consultative process, the draft 'The Registration Bill, 2025' has been uploaded on the website of Department of Land Resources for inviting suggestions from public in a prescribed Performa within a period of 30 days, on or before June 25. The suggestions may be shared at the email id - sanand.b@gov(dot)in, in either MS Word (or compatible format) or machine-readable PDF format.
