The executive and the judiciary, never too far away from a confrontation, are in for another tussle. This time around, the debate is over a proposed change in nomenclature..This letter written by the Registrar General of the Calcutta High Court shows that the High Court has declined the proposed name change from “Calcutta High Court” to “High Court of Judicature at Kolkata”. The letter reveals that this decision was taken at a Full Court meeting held on July 11..Citing the “long history and tradition” of the Calcutta High Court, the Full Court has communicated its disinclination towards the name change to the Law Ministry..It remains to be seen how recently re-appointed Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad (and MoS PP Chaudhary) shall react to this; after all the change of names was one of the first public announcements he made on the day he was appointed Law Minister..According to that Indian Express report, the High Courts (Alteration of Names) Bill of 2016 would only apply to the Bombay and Madras High Courts..It is not clear if the Bill contains a provision which rests the final power to alter names with the respective High Courts. If that is the case, as the Calcutta High Court’s letter indicates, then one may well see a similar sentiment shared by the other two Presidency courts, those in Bombay and Madras..Read the letter below..HT to Bar & Bench reader Amit Pai for sharing the letter.
The executive and the judiciary, never too far away from a confrontation, are in for another tussle. This time around, the debate is over a proposed change in nomenclature..This letter written by the Registrar General of the Calcutta High Court shows that the High Court has declined the proposed name change from “Calcutta High Court” to “High Court of Judicature at Kolkata”. The letter reveals that this decision was taken at a Full Court meeting held on July 11..Citing the “long history and tradition” of the Calcutta High Court, the Full Court has communicated its disinclination towards the name change to the Law Ministry..It remains to be seen how recently re-appointed Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad (and MoS PP Chaudhary) shall react to this; after all the change of names was one of the first public announcements he made on the day he was appointed Law Minister..According to that Indian Express report, the High Courts (Alteration of Names) Bill of 2016 would only apply to the Bombay and Madras High Courts..It is not clear if the Bill contains a provision which rests the final power to alter names with the respective High Courts. If that is the case, as the Calcutta High Court’s letter indicates, then one may well see a similar sentiment shared by the other two Presidency courts, those in Bombay and Madras..Read the letter below..HT to Bar & Bench reader Amit Pai for sharing the letter.
