JOIN USThe Supreme Court on Friday decided to examine a PIL seeking a declaration that India should be known as Bharat for all official and other purposes.
A bench of Chief Justice H L Dattu and Justice Arun Mishra admitted the petition filed by Maharashtra-based industrialist Niranjan Bhatwal for hearing and sought response from the Centre on his plea that relied upon Purana and historical texts as well as Constitutional Assembly debates.
Advocate Ajay G Majithia and Rahul Pandey, appearing for the petitioner contended that “Hindi as well as English language excerpts of Article 1 Clause 1 of the Constitution denoted that Bharat was meant to be the name for our country by the Constituent Assembly.”
“The insertion of India in Article 1 of the Constitution was just for reference, in order to repeal the Government of India Act 1935, and the Indian Independence Act 1947, wherein this country had been referred to as India, which was repealed by Article 395 of the Constitution,” the petitioner said.
The petitioner earlier in 2014 had approached the apex court with same plea. However, he was told to approach the government. The petitioner claimed that since he did not get any response from the designated authorities, he had to file the PIL before the court.