MP HC DISMISSED A PIL CHALLENGING CENTRE GOVERNMENT'S ORDER OF RENAMING BHOPAL STATION

The Madhya Pradesh High Court dismissed a public interest litigation petition moved by Ahmad Sayeed Qureshi against a recent decision of the Central government to rename Bhopal station from 'Habibganj' to 'Rani Kamlapati' railway station. The Court imposed costs of ₹10,000 upon the petitioner by stating that the PIL was frivolous and vexatious and consumed the precious time of the Bench.

The petitioner, Ahmad Sayeed Qureshi, challenged the Central government order that changed the name of the 'Habibganj' railway station to 'Rani Kamlapati' railway station. Advocate Vinay Pratap Singh appearing on behalf of the petitioner, submitted that in 1973, Guru Habeeb Miyan had donated his land to the Railway Department and thus was rightly named after the donor as 'Habibganj' Railway Station. The change in the name of the railway station by the Central government was with mala fide intention to hurt the feelings of the Muslim community. 

The Division Bench of Justices Sheel Nagu and Sunita Yadav, after hearing the parties, concluded that the PIL was a medium to gain cheap publicity, and it consumed the time of the Court. 

The Court dismissed the petition and directed to us the penalty amount for covid-9 third wave.

Author: Papiha Ghoshal