Supreme Court rejects plea challenging Aurangabad, Osmanabad renaming

New Delhi [India], August 2 : The Supreme Court on Friday rejected the petition challenging the Bombay High Court order which declined the plea against changing the names of Aurangabad and Osmanabad cities in Maharashtra.
A bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti upheld the Bombay High Court order denying the petitioners' demand challenging the renaming of two cities.
The petitioner has challenged the validity of notifications issued by the Government of Maharashtra changing the name of Aurangabad and Osmanabad cities to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Dharashiv, respectively.
The top court said there will be differences among different people in such matters and
some will agree while some disagree with changes to the name of the cities.
"It is a reasoned order," the top court said while upholding the Bombay High Court decision.
The top court also noted that the state had followed the procedure as per law before changing the names of the two cities.
In May, Bombay High Court rejected the plea challenging the notification on the changing of names of two cities
The name of Aurangabad city has been changed to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar while the name of Osmanabad has been changed to Dharashiv city.
Various people including Sheikh Masood Ismail Sheikh among others approached the Supreme Court challenging the Bombay High Court decision.
Bombay High Court while rejecting the plea also quoted from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."