SC declines to entertain plea for renaming India

The Supreme Court Monday declined to entertain a plea seeking to rename India as Bharat and asked the petitioner to approach the appropriate authority with the plea.

A bench of Chief Justice H.L. Dattu and Justice A.K.Sikri asked the petitioner to first make an appropriate representation before an authority in support of his plea, and then only approach the apex court after getting a response.

"Go to the authorities (tell them) why you want to use Bharat and not India," the court told the petitioner.

"You (the petitioner) can come to us only after the authorities have responded to your representation or choose not to respond," the court said. "Only then you can contest government's response or lack of it," it said, dismissing the plea as withdrawn.