The Supreme Court on Wednesday has issued notice to the Centre & sought its response on a petition seeking to rename the ‘Bombay High Court’ as ‘High Court of Maharashtra’.
A three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice SA Bobde, Justice AS Bopanna and Justice Hrishikesh Roy, passed its order on a petition filed by Mr V.P. Patil, former Principal Judge, Labour Court Mumbai, who has submitted “that the petition has been filed on behalf of a large number of people living and belonging to the State of Maharashtra who take immense pride in their Marathi culture and heritage and are seeking renaming of “High Court of Bombay” to “High Court of Maharashtra” are seeking enforcement of their fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution of India, inter alia including the rights contained in Articles 14,19, 21, 29 of the Constitution of India”.
The petitioner has further stated that on July 19,2016 the High Court (Alternation of Names) Bill, 2016 was introduced in the Parliament of India changing of the names of ‘High Court of Judicature at Bombay as “High Court of Judicature at Mumbai’ and ‘High Court of Judicature at Mumbai” as “High Court of Judicature at Chennai’ respectively, however the Bill lapsed in the Parliament due to lack of consensus between the States.
Thereafter again in the year 2018 fresh demands were made to the Central Government to take steps to reintroduce the bill for renaming the High Courts. However, no positive step has been taken, hence the petitioner approached the Supreme Court.
The petitioner seeks direction to the respondents to take effective steps for change in nomenclature of the “High Court of Bombay” to “High Court of Maharashtra”.
To direct respondents to take effective steps for implementation of Clause 4(1) of the Maharashtra Adaptation Laws (State and Concurrent Subjects) Order, 1960 for conservation and preservation of the distinct culture, heritage and traditions of the people of the State of Maharashtra.
To direct the respondents to change the name of the other High Courts in the Country as per the names of the States in which they are located.
Read the Petition here;
V.-P.-Patil-W.P.-c-401-OF-2020-India Legal Bureau