Court Disposes Petition Challenging Name Change
The Bombay High Court has addressed the challenge petition concerning the name change of Aurangabad district, its revenue department, and Osmanabad district. The court clarified that the state government has not yet issued the final notification for the proposed name changes in these districts and the revenue department. The petitions challenging these name changes are therefore currently premature, and the court will convene the final hearing on October 4 and 5 for these cases.
Sub-Division, Taluka, and Village Not Officially Changed
The final notification for the renaming process at various levels, including sub-division, taluka, and village, in both Aurangabad and Osmanabad districts has not been officially released. As a result, the petitions contesting this process are considered premature and without merit at this time. The Bombay High Court, under the guidance of Birendra Saraf, dismissed these petitions. However, the court has allowed petitioners to challenge the matter once the state government issues the final notification.
Final Hearing For City Name Change
The final hearing for the petitions challenging the renaming of Aurangabad and Osmanabad is scheduled to take place before the principal bench, presided over by Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Arif S Doctor, on October 4 and 5 respectively.
Latest Arguments In Recent Hearing
One of the petitioners, Shaikh Masood Shaikh Ismail, filed a public interest litigation (PIL) opposing the change of Osmanabad's name to Dharashiv. During the recent hearing on the matter, the Advocate General highlighted that no definitive decision has been made regarding the name change. Thus, the petition was suggested for disposal since it contests the preliminary notification for renaming Osmanabad district, sub-divisions, talukas, and villages. The Advocate General also noted that objections were solicited from citizens through a draft notification on February 24, 2023. These objections are currently being reviewed by the State Government, and a final decision is pending. Consequently, petitions challenging these draft notifications cannot be entertained until a final decision is reached.
Advocates' Instructions
In regard to the renaming of Osmanabad district, Advocate Satish Talekar argued that the official notification typically follows directives from the Central Government or requires approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs. Making reference to this, Talekar emphasized that the State Government should not have unilaterally made the decision to change the city or district name without consulting the Central Government or obtaining its permission. Thus, the High Court recognized the need to address the petition challenging the renaming. Meanwhile, the advocates involved in the cases have been instructed to compile brief argument notes along with relevant points from the petition, and submit necessary documents and judgments to the court.