Supreme Court Rejects Plea Against Renaming Aurangabad, Osmanabad

The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a petition challenging the Bombay High Court’s decision to uphold the renaming of Aurangabad and Osmanabad cities in Maharashtra. A bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti affirmed the High Court’s order, rejecting the plea against changing the names of the two cities.

The petitioner contested the Maharashtra government’s notifications to rename Aurangabad as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Osmanabad as Dharashiv. The Supreme Court acknowledged that such matters can evoke differing opinions but noted that the High Court’s decision was well-reasoned. It also confirmed that the state followed the proper legal procedures for the name changes.

In May, the Bombay High Court dismissed the plea challenging the notifications. Among the petitioners was Sheikh Masood Ismail Sheikh, who subsequently approached the Supreme Court. In its ruling, the Bombay High Court quoted Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” stating, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.