Varsity name change challenged

Mumbai: The Bombay high court has asked higher education ministry officers to be present in court after a petitioner sought restraining orders against the department and thestate’s proposal to change the name of Solapur University. 

A division bench of Justice Ranjit More and Justice Sadhana Jadhav was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by a students’ organisation through senior advocate, Satish Talekar, seeking to restrain the state from changing the name of Solapur University to Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar, Solapur University. The petitioners submitted that though the senate and management council of the varsity had opposed the change in name, the chief minister was seeking political gain by changing the name to appease a particular community.

Advocate Talekar referred to the renaming of Marathwada University in 1994 which resulted in conflicts leading to the loss of many lives as it was aimed at appeasing a particular community. 

On its part, counsel for the university submitted that the decision to change or extend the name was just a proposal and hence, the PIL was premature. As counsel for the state sought time to take instructions, the bench placed the matter for hearing on Friday.