In a significant ruling on Monday, the Supreme Court of India, led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) that sought to change the term "Hindutva" to "Indian Constitution." The petition, filed by Dr. S.N. Kundra, a resident of Vikaspuri, Delhi, aimed to replace the culturally and politically charged word "Hindutva" with a more neutral term in the context of Indian governance. During the hearing, Chief Justice Chandrachud expressed his discontent with the petition’s premise, stating, “This is a complete abuse of process.
We will not consider it.” The three-judge bench, which also included Justices JB Pardiwala and Nanoj Mishra, unanimously agreed to dismiss the petition, emphasizing that the legal system should not be used to pursue such contentious changes. The hearing on October 21 sparked debate as the Chief Justice highlighted the inappropriateness of the petition, reiterating the court's commitment to uphold the dignity of the legal process.
The court’s decision resonates in a time when discussions about nationalism and identity in India are particularly salient, underscoring the judiciary's stance against attempts to alter established terminologies linked to the country's cultural fabric. The public interest litigation, which had garnered attention for its ambitious scope, ultimately failed to convince the Supreme Court of its merits. The dismissal serves as a reminder of the court’s role in filtering petitions that may be deemed frivolous or lacking substantial grounding in legal principles.
