Status quo on Aurangabad name-change continues till Bombay HC verdict

Aurangabad, May 17 (IANS) As the matter pertaining to the renaming of Aurangabad to ‘Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar’ sub-judice in the the Bombay High Court, the district authorities have advised all concerned departments to maintain a status quo, official sources said here on Wednesday.

After the Centre’s approval in February, certain government departments and outsiders have switched over to the new name in their routine communication and other regular official dealings.

However, college officials have now advised all such departments to strictly adhere to the high court directives and refrain from using the new name till the court’s final decision.

“The government’s stand, as informed to the court, is maintain status quo till the court’s verdict and the further orders,” an official from Aurangabad Collectorate told IANS.

After the state government’s proposal got the Central approval, several individuals and organisations, besides political parties including the AIMIM and others have given a legal challenge to the name change from Aurangabad to ‘Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar’ and the cases are now subjudice.

The name change was first proposed by the then Maha Vikas Aghadi Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in June 2022.

After Eknath Shinde became the Chief Minister, the proposal was sent again to the Centre which cleared it in February this year, along with the rechristening of Osmanabad town as ‘Dharashiv’.

Soon after the Central government’s assent, some government departments and private bodies promptly changed over to the new name for Aurangabad, but with the Collectorate’s advisory, it may be put on hold till the court judgement.