Orissa High Court sets deadline for Bose recognition petition

The Orissa High Court has set a deadline for the Indian government to respond to a public interest litigation (PIL) regarding Subhas Chandra Bose. The court has ordered the Centre to file an affidavit by April 16, 2025. The PIL, submitted by Pinakpani Mohanty from Cuttack on January 20, calls for several actions. It seeks recognition of Bose as a "national son," a national holiday for his birthday, and the establishment of a national museum at his birthplace. Additionally, the petition requests the declassification of a 1947 power transfer agreement and secret files from the Intelligence Bureau concerning Netaji. It also calls for the acceptance of the findings from the Justice Mukherjee Commission of Inquiry. During Wednesday’s hearing, a lawyer for the central government asked for a four-week extension to prepare the affidavit. The two-judge bench agreed to the extension and scheduled the next hearing for April 16.