Rajasthan HC to examine whether titles Raja, Nawab, Maharaja can be used as prefix while filing cases in courts
The Rajasthan High Court has asked the Central and State governments on whether after the insertion of Article 363A to the Constitution, titles like Raja/ Nawab/ Maharaja/ Rajkumar can be used as prefix by individuals while filing cases in courts. Justice Sameer Jain examined the issue after noting that the name of one of the respondents in a case before him was one 'Raja Laxman Singh'.
"Let limited notices be issued to the Additional Solicitor General RD Rastogi representing Central Government and learned Advocate General MS Singhvi for the State to address upon the same issue. Whether after the insertion of Article 363-A and 26th Amendment in the Constitution of India, the said title of Raja, Nawab, Maharaja, Rajkumar as prefix can be filed/addressed in the constitutional court or the learned trial court below," the order said.
After perusing the Constitution (26th Amendment) Act 1971 (Privy purse paid to rulers was abolished), Article 363A (Recognition granted to Rulers of Indian States to cease and privy purses to be abolished)and Article 14 (Equality before Law) of the Constitution of India, the Court noted that recognition and titles granted to the rulers of the erstwhile princely States in India no more persists and have been abolished.
However, when the petitioner submitted that he had filed the case before the trial court with the said title and consequently, it had to be repeated or generated before the High Court too, the single-judge issued notices to the Central government and the State government to address the issue.
The matter will be heard again on February 3, 2022.
Advocate Suruchi Kasliwal appeared for the petitioner. Advocate Anupam Bhargava appeared for the respondent.