The contentious Aurangabad name change case saw another day of rigorous discussions in the Bombay High Court today. Lasting until 4.30 pm, the courtroom deliberations featured senior advocates and representatives passionately arguing for and against altering the historical city's name. Mushtaq Ahmed, the president of the Aurangabad Anti-Name Change Committee, and Hisham Usmani, a prominent social worker, filed a petition challenging the proposed name change of Aurangabad city district.
In a continuation of the previous hearings spanning three days, the courtroom witnessed heated exchanges between the Aurangabad name change opposition committee and Senior Advocate Yusuf Machhala, who spoke on behalf of Mushtaq Ahmed. The discussions from the preceding day, left unresolved, were concluded today, with Machhala fervently presenting his case. During the proceedings, advocates SS Qazi, Khidr Patel, Saleem Qadri, and Sheikh Moin stood alongside social worker Hisham Usmani, adding weight to the arguments against the name change.
Central to the debate was Machhala's assertion that Aurangabad city holds immense historical significance as a prime tourist destination. He argued vehemently that changing the city's name goes against the guidelines set by the central government. Hence, he called for a stay on the proposed name alteration.
The court, acknowledging the gravity of the case, scheduled the next hearing for October 12. Notably, the previous day's hearing focused on the proposed name change of villages within Aurangabad division, district, and taluka, with the court reserving its decision on the matter. The upcoming hearing on October 12 is anticipated to bring a resolution to the broader issue of renaming Aurangabad city, division, district, taluka, and villages, casting a decisive light on the future nomenclature of this historically significant region.