Posted: 04 Sep 2015 12:44 AM PDT
HC seeks Centre’s reply on PIL against renaming Aurangzeb Road
The Delhi High Court on Friday
sought response from the Centre on a PIL seeking to restrain civic body
NDMC from renaming Aurangzeb Road after APJ Abdul Kalam.
A bench of Chief Justice G
Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath asked Additional Solicitor General (ASG)
Sanjay Jain to apprise it whether any guidelines are to be followed for
renaming roads. “We only need information with regard to any guidelines
mandatory for such changes. File affidavit before September 22,” the
bench said, while clarifying that it is not issuing any notice. The
court sought the response after the ASG contended that the guidelines
are advisory but not mandatory for renaming a road.
The ASG further said, “In the
present issue the change in name of the road is done keeping in mind the
national figure. NDMC has unlimited power to make such changes.” During
the hearing, the court posed a query to petitioner advocate Shahid Ali,
who had alleged that the decision was the outcome of “sick and communal
politics” and “lacks understanding of history”.
The petitioner, assisted by
advocate Wasim Alam, said in the plea, “NDMC in utter violation of law
and procedure, instead of naming a new road in memory of late APJ Abdul
Kalamhas renamed an historical road known as Aurangzeb Road to be known
as APJ Abdul Kalam Road. “Pertinently, the guidelines for
naming/renaming of roads, streets, villages, towns and installation of
statues/memorials to be followed by State Names Authority, Delhi,
provide that the name of existing streets, road etc will normally not be
changed. Only new streets, roads etc will be considered for being named
after eminent personalities.
“Names which are part of history
will not be altered. All proposals for renaming will be referred to the
Ministry of Home Affairs in accordance with instructions in letter
dated September 27, 1975,” it said. The PIL said the “act of altering
the historical name was nothing but an outcome of sick and communal
politics, which should not be allowed to have any place in India which
homes thousand religious, cultural, social and political beliefs”.
The request to change the name
of the road, made by BJP MPs Mahesh Giri, Meenakshi Lekhi and the trade
wing secretary of Aam Aadmi Party, was accepted by New Delhi Municipal
Council (NDMC) on August 28.
