SHAIKH MASUD ISMAIL SHAIKH Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The following quote from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet resonated throughout the hearing of this batch of writ petitions: (A) PRELUDE :

(2.) By instituting these petitions under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, some of which are Public Interest Litigation Petitions, the Petitioners assail the validity of Notifications issued by the Government of Maharashtra changing the name of Aurangabad and Osmanabad cities to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Dharashiv, respectively. Challenge in these petitions has also been made to the Notifications issued by the State Government changing the names of revenue areas or units i.e. revenue Division, District, Sub Division, Taluka and Village from Aurangabad revenue areas to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar revenue areas and from Osmanabad revenue areas to Dharashiv revenue areas. The impugned Notification bearing No. Ganab-2715/Mantri 18/C.R.218/29 dtd. 24/2/2023, whereby the name of Aurangabad city has been changed to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city, is extracted hereinbelow:

(3.) Prior to impugned notifications, earlier as well an attempt was made by the State Government to change the name of Aurangabad city to Sambhajinagar city and also to change the names of revenue units. Aurangabad Municipal Corporation passed a resolution on 19/6/1995 recommending to change the name of Aurangabad city to Sambhajinagar city. The State Government issued a draft notification under Sec. 3(4) of the Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporations Act, 1949 (hereinafter referred to as the Act of 1949) on 9/11/1995 inviting objections and suggestions with respect to the said draft for the purpose of issuing a Notification under Sec. 3(2) of the Act of 1949 read with Sec. 21 of the Maharashtra General Clauses Act 1904 (hereinafter referred to as the Act of 1904). The draft Notification was issued inviting objections to the proposal to alter the name of city known by the name 'city of Aurangabad' and rename it to be 'City of Sambhajinagar'.