High Court rejects PIL against renaming of Allahabad as Prayagraj

Acting chief justice of the Allahabad high court justice Govind Mathur and justice CD Singh refused to grant any relief to petitioner Sunita Sharma at this stage as she had directly moved the court without approaching the state government.

The Allahabad high court on Tuesday dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) petition challenging renaming of Allahabad as Prayagraj.

Allahabad: Rashtriya Rakshak Samuh activists cover Allahabad Railway Junction board with poster of 'Prayagraj' when Uttar Pradesh government Cabinet approved renaming of the city 'Allahabad' to 'Prayagraj' (File Photo)

The court, however, granted liberty to the petitioner to file a representation before the state government in this connection.

Acting chief justice of the Allahabad high court justice Govind Mathur and justice CD Singh refused to grant any relief to petitioner Sunita Sharma at this stage as she had directly moved the court without approaching the state government.

The petitioner had urged the court to declare the state government’s notification of October 18 as unconstitutional by which the Allahabad district was renamed as Prayagraj and issue the writ of Mandamus directing the government to revoke its decision.

Mandamus is a judicial remedy in the form of an order to an inferior court, government or a person to perform a public or statutory duty.

“Any person who seeks writ of Mandamus must approach the authority concerned with his demand and only in case of refusal one can seek directions in the form of writ of Mandamus from the court,” the bench said.

“The petitioner has filed the petition without raising her grievances before the state government. Hence, the petition is liable to be dismissed at this stage,” it added.

During the course of hearing, the petitioner’s counsel also said that the Ardh Kumbh was being wrongly renamed as Kumbh-2019.

The petitioner said the Kumbh had already taken place in 2013 and the congregation to be held in 2019 should be known by its original name Ardh Kumbh.

Changing the name of such a famous religious gathering was not proper, the petitioner’s counsel said.

However, the court dismissed the plea as the petitioner had not taken up the matter with the state government.