New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has granted time to the Centre’s counsel to get instructions on a plea seeking to direct the government to decide on a representation for amending the Constitution and replacing the word India with ‘Bharat’ or ‘Hindustan’.
The plea came up for hearing before Justice Sachin Datta on February 4 and the court listed it for further hearing on March 12.
“At the outset, counsel for the respondent nos 1 and 4 (Centre) who appears on advance notice seeks some time to take instructions,” the court said.
Initially, the petitioner approached the Supreme Court seeking a direction to the Centre to amend the Constitution and replace the word India with ‘Bharat’ or ‘Hindustan’.
The apex court, in 2020, directed that the petition be treated as a representation and may be considered by the appropriate ministries.
Petitioner Namaha filed the plea in the high court seeking a direction to the authorities to decide his representation.
“The petitioner is left with no option but to approach this court, by way of the present petition as there is no update from the respondents about any decision taken on the representation of the petitioner,” the plea said.
It claimed that the English name ‘India’ does not represent the culture and tradition of the country and renaming it to ‘Bharat’ would help citizens shed “colonial baggage”.
It has sought to amend Article 1 of the Constitution, which deals with the name and territory of the Union.
The plea sought to amend Article 1 of the Constitution, which presently states, India that is Bharat, to henceforth state Bharat/Hindustan as a Union of states.
Referring to the 1948 Constituent assembly debate on Article 1 of the then draft constitution, the plea has said even at that time there was a “strong wave” in favour of naming the country as ‘Bharat’ or ‘Hindustan’.
“However, now the time is ripe to recognise the country by its original and authentic name that is Bharat especially when our cities have been renamed to identify with the Indian ethos,” it said.
