The Supreme Court in the case observed and has agreed to hear a plea challenging the approval granted by the Union of India and the State of Maharashtra to the letter of the Divisional Commissioner, Aurangabad dated 04.03.2020, wherein it is proposed that the name of the city of Aurangabad be changed to ‘Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar’.
The petitioner in the plea challenged a similar attempt of renaming Aurangabad in 1996. The petition states that the said matter travelled up to the Supreme Court, wherein the court ordered to grant leave and has also ordered for status quo. Lately, the notification was withdrawn by the state government and thus the matter became infructuous. The petitioner in the plea argues that the present attempt to rename the city was again challenged by him through a PIL which was pending in the High Court of Bombay. Thus, the Union of India granted approval to the proposed change in the name of city, while ignoring the pendency of the petition.
Adding to it, the petition stated that on the very same day 24.02.2023, the notification has also been issued by the State of Maharashtra officially changing the name of City Aurangabad, Taluka and District, the Aurangabad, Maharashtra to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Taluka and District, Aurangabad, Maharashtra. Further, the notification has been issued by the state government on the same day under Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, 1966, calling for objections to draft notification renaming the revenue divisions of Aurangabad to Sambhajinagar.”
Accordingly, the Supreme Court agreed to list the said plea on 24.03.2023.