Supreme Court to hear plea seeking officially renaming 'India' to 'Bharat' on June 2

In yet ar bid to officially rename 'India', a PIL has been filed by an individual named Namah seeking India to be renamed as 'Bharat'. A Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice SA Bobde, Justice AS Bopanna and Justice Hrishikesh Roy is scheduled to hear plea on June 2. Currently, India's apex court is only hearing to urgent matters amid India's extended COVID-19 lockdown.

SC to hear renaming 'India' plea

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Details of plea

In this plea, petitioner - Namah, has sought enforcement of fundamental rights under Article 21 of Constitution which entitles every citizen equal right to call his or her own country as 'Bharat', as per reports. Moreover, he had contended that Union Government has failed to do away with symbol of slavery by using name ‘India’ instead of Bharat or Hindustan. He has also pointed out to many pleas which have sought same and government's inaction to do so, justifying his reason to approach apex court, state reports.

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SC rejects PIL to rename India

As per reports, on 12 March 2016, Supreme Court had dismissed a petition seeking renaming of India as Bharat. Reacting to absurdity of plea, bench of Justices TS Thakur and UU Lalit asked, "Do you think we have or work except dealing with emotional issues?”. It furr admonished petitioner - Niranjan Bhatwal, a Maharashtra-based social activist stating, "Help poor through PIL jurisdiction. If you want to call it Bharat, do so. body is stopping you," according to reports.

Prior to this order, an SC bench led by n chief justice HL Dattu had sought responses of Centre, states and Union Territories on Bhatwal’s PIL in April 2016, state reports. Moreover, Bhatwal had argued that Constituent Assembly had originally conceived and adopted Bharat as official name. He had sought clarification on phrase — “India, that is, Bharat shall be a Union of States” — used in Article 1 of Indian Constitution.

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He had stated in his petition that  ‘India’ is t a literal translation of word ‘Bharata’. Besides country, both historically and in Scriptures, is kwn as ‘Bharata’, as per reports. Moreover, he stated that with phrase - 'India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States', codified Bharat’ name for Republic of India'. After receiving response from Centre on matter, petitioner reportedly moved Supreme Court.

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