LawLoveLegal

Introduction India’s rich built heritage—palaces, forts, colonial mansions, temples, ghats—is under serious stress from neglect, institutional fragmentation and inadequate funding. As you outline, public-private partnerships (PPPs) and adaptive reuse have emerged as a possible route to reviving this heritage. The question arises: can the government mandate that eligible companies direct their statutory CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) obligations under the Companies Act 2013 towards heritage revival projects? This article examines the statutory CSR regime, constitutional and jurisprudential constraints, and the feasibility of directing CSR funds specifically to heritage preservation. The CSR Regime in India – Statute and Rules Applicability and key features Under section 135(1) of the Companies Act 2013, every company which, in the preceding financial year, satisfies any of the following criteria must comply with CSR obligations: net worth of ₹500 crore or more, or turnover ...

The Himachal Pradesh High Court, in a significant judgment delivered on October 14, 2025 , upheld the state government’s complete ownership of Mashobra Resort Limited (MRL) —the joint venture that once co-owned the prestigious Wildflower Hall property with East India Hotels (EIH) , part of the Oberoi Group . The verdict marks the end of a nearly three-decade legal battle between the state and the EIH Group, affirming the government’s exclusive rights over the property, assets, and profits associated with the luxury resort. Court Ruling: State Declared Sole Owner of Mashobra Resort Limited According to the Himachal Pradesh High Court’s order , the entire ownership of the joint venture company (MRL) and its assets now rest with the Himachal Pradesh government . The court declared that: The bank balance of approximately ₹320 crore belonging to the joint venture company would be transferred to the state . An additional ₹25 crore is to be paid to the state as per an arbitra...