The Supreme Court on Friday indicated its "tentative view" that Bahujan Samajwadi Party leader Mayawati will have to cough up and pay back to the public exchequer the money she spent on erecting statues of herself and party symbol 'elephant' in public parks across Lucknow and Noida.

A Bench, led by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, posted the petition filed by Supreme Court advocate Ravi Kant in 2009, alleging that crores of public money was spent by then Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister on these acts of self-aggrandisement.

“We are of the tentative view that Mayawati has to deposit the public money spent on her statues and party symbol to the State exchequer," Chief Justice Gogoi orally observed.

The Bench, also comprising Justices Deepka Gupta and Sanjeev Khanna, posted the matter for final hearing on April 2.

Mr. Kant has alleged that about ₹2,000 crore was used from the State budget for 2008-09 and 2009-10 to ‘falsely glorify’ the then Chief Minister. He said the State government should be directed to remove the statues of Mayawati and her party symbol ‘elephant’ from public land.

“The said activity is being carried out as a State policy, which is arbitrary and violative of Article 14 of the Constitution. Sixty statues of elephants were installed at a cost of ₹52.20 crore at public places by utilising State funds,” the petition alleged in 2009.