SC dismisses plea to rename India as Bharat

A public interest plea that sought to rename India as Bharat was dismissed by the Supreme Court on Friday as an 'emotional issue' not worthy of the court's time.

The bench of Chief Justice TS Thakur and Justice UU Lalit said that the petitioner should approach the court with more relevant issues, such as those relating to the poor.

"Declare India as Bharat? We have no other work or what? Please don't come to this court with emotional issues," Justice Thakur told Niranjan Bhatwal, a Maharashtra-based social activist.

"Help the poor through the PIL (public interest litigation). We have better things to do instead of deciding this. If you want to call this country Bharat, you are more than welcome to.... Nobody is stopping you."

According to The Telegraph, Bhatwal's petition had first been heard last April, when a bench headed by then Chief Justice HL Dattu had asked the Centre, states and union territories to respond. However, said Bhatwal, his representations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, home minister Rajnath Singh and others had not received a positive response.

Bhatwal's argument is that 'Bharat' is clearly mentioned as the name of the country in Article 1 of the Constitution, which reads:

Article 1 in The Constitution Of India 1949

1. Name and territory of the Union

(1) India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States.