We can't do it: CJI on plea seeking change in India's name to 'Bharat'

New Delhi: Hearing a PIL seeking to amend the Constitution and exclude India as the name of the country, Chief Justice of India S A Bobde on Wednesday said the Supreme Court can’t do it as “India is already called Bharat in the Constitution itself”. The court, however, allowed the petitioner to make a representation to the government.

The PIL sought an amendment to Article 1 of the Constitution to retain only ‘Bharat’ and exclude India from country name.

The plea, filed by a Delhi-based man, has claimed that such an amendment will “ensure the citizens of this country to get over the colonial past”.

“The removal of the English name though appears symbolic, will instill a sense of pride in our own nationality, especially for the future generations to come. In fact, the word India being replaced with Bharat would justify the hard fought freedom by our ancestors,” the plea claimed.

Referring to the 1948 Constituent Assembly debate on Article 1 of the then draft constitution, the plea said even at that time there was a “strong wave” in favour of naming the country as ‘Bharat’ or ‘Hindustan’.