SC asks Centre to look into plea to change name of India to Bharat

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to entertain a petition that sought changing the name of India to Bharat, and asked the Centre to treat the writ petition as a representation and decide on it.

The apex court bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde observed that Article-1 of the Constitution already refers to India as Bharat. “But India is already called Bharat in the Constitution” said the bench, also comprising Justices AS Bopanna and Hrishikesh Roy.

The three-judge bench directed the appropriate ministry to consider the petition as a representation and take the decision.

The plea said the name ‘India' was derived form ‘Indica’ which is a Greek word and its time that the country should be recognized with its “original and authentic name” which is ‘Bharat’.

The change in name is essential for citizens to get over the colonial past and shall “instill a sense of pride in our own nationality”.

The plea also said, “The word India being replaced with BHARAT would justify the hard fought freedom of our ancestors.”