Supreme Court Upholds Renaming of Aurangabad and Osmanabad; Dismisses Challenge Against Maharashtra Government’s Notifications
Last Updated on August 2, 2024 by News Desk
The Supreme Court dismissed an SLP filed against the Bombay High Court order upholding the Maharashtra government’s notifications changing the names of Aurangabad and Osmanabad cities to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Dharashiv, respectively. The Bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and S.V.N Bhatti refused to interfere with the impugned order.
Several petitions were filed before the High Court challenging the renaming of Aurangabad and Osmanabad cities as well as revenue areas (District, Sub-Division, Taluka, Villages). The Union Ministry of Home Affairs approved the renaming of Aurangabad on February 24, 2023, while it had already approved for Osmanabad on February 7, 2023. The state government formally notified the changed names of the cities, but the process for renaming the associated revenue areas was not completed at that time.
The High Court disposed of a batch of petitions contesting the proposed renaming of the revenue areas, as the new names hadn’t been formally notified. However, the challenge to the new names of the cities survived. The petitioners contended that the renaming is driven by political motives and fosters religious discord. The Maharashtra government denied this contention and submitted that the naming of a city on a personality held in high esteem by the entire State does not have a religious color.
The High Court refused to interfere with the challenged notification, saying it did not suffer from any illegality or other legal vice. The petitions being bereft of any merit are hereby dismissed.
