Supreme Court junks plea on renaming of Aurangabad, says issue in realm of government

File Photo/PTI

The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to entertain a petition challenging the decision to rename Aurangabad city in Maharashtra as 'Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar', saying the issue lay in the democratic realm of the government.

A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice JB Pardiwala also pointed out the Bombay High Court is seized of the matter.

"We are not inclined to entertain this SLP since the matter is pending before the High Court. Whether we like it or not, this lies in the democratic realm of the government. Who are we to choose the name of cities, roads etc? This is the power of the elected executive," the bench said.

Senior advocate Sanjay Hegde, appearing for the petitioner, submitted the notifications issued by authority are being implemented now and the names of talukas (smaller administrative units) are also being changed.

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The top court was hearing a plea filed by Mohammad Hisham Osmani and others challenging the approval granted by the state and the central governments to a proposal to change the name of the Maharashtra city.

The Aurangabad divisional commissioner, in a letter dated March 4, 2020, proposed that the city's name be changed to 'Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar'.

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