“What’s in a name?” SC rejects plea challenging Bombay HC’s decision to rename Aurangabad & Osmanabad
Bombay High Court Rejects PIL Challenging Maharashtra Govt's 'Ladki Bahin' and 'Yuva Karya' Schemes
In May, Bombay HC rejected the plea challenging the notification on the changing of names of two cities; following which, various people approached the SC challenging its decision.
August 2, 2024
The Supreme Court on August 2 dismissed the petition challenging the Bombay High Court (HC) order which declined the plea against changing the names of Aurangabad and Osmanabad cities in Maharashtra.
A bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti refused to interfere with the impugned order.
The petitioner had challenged the validity of notifications issued by the Government of Maharashtra changing the name of Aurangabad and Osmanabad cities to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar and Dharashiv, respectively.
The PILs contended that the renaming is driven by political motives and fosters religious discord. The petitioner in the PIL challenging Aurangabad’s renaming alleged that a campaign is going on in Maharashtra to change the names of all cities which have a Muslim name.
The Maharashtra government, however, denied this contention and submitted that the naming of a city on a personality held in high esteem (in case of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar) by the entire State does not have a religious colour.
The apex court said there will be differences among different people in such matters and some will agree while some disagree with changes to the name of the cities.
“It is a reasoned order,” the top court said while upholding the Bombay High Court decision.
The top court also noted that the state had followed the procedure as per law before changing the names of the two cities.
Bombay High Court while rejecting the plea also quoted from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”
In May, Bombay HC rejected the plea challenging the notification on the changing of names of two cities; following which, various people including Sheikh Masood Ismail Sheikh among others approached the Supreme Court challenging its decision.
