Delhi High Court Urges Fast Action on Renaming 'India' to 'Bharat'

The Delhi High Court has urged quick compliance with a Supreme Court order to consider changing the name 'India' to 'Bharat' or 'Hindustan' in the Constitution. The plea, focusing on cultural identity, was initially a Supreme Court matter moved by petitioners who advocate for a name change.

The Delhi High Court has called on the central government to swiftly act on a Supreme Court directive aimed at evaluating a proposal to amend the Constitution, thereby changing the country's name from 'India' to 'Bharat' or 'Hindustan'. Justice Sachin Datta has permitted the petitioner to withdraw his current plea.

The withdrawal follows a March 12 order, where senior counsel Sanjeev Sagar, representing the petitioner, opted to pursue the issue directly with relevant ministries. The Supreme Court had, in 2020, recommended treating the petition as a formal representation for consideration by appropriate governmental departments.

The plea, brought forth by petitioner Namaha, argued that 'India' fails to capture the nation's cultural essence. It advocates for an amendment to Article 1, citing historical debates from the 1948 Constituent Assembly, emphasizing the significance of adopting 'Bharat', a name that aligns with India's cultural heritage.

(With inputs from agencies.)