Delhi High Court Probes DMRC Over Hindi Naming of 'Supreme Court' Metro Station
The Delhi High Court has raised a significant query regarding the naming of the 'Supreme Court' metro station in the national capital. In a recent hearing, the court directed the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to provide a clear explanation for why the station does not bear a Hindi name, specifically 'Sarvoch Nyayalaya', which aligns with the Supreme Court's official Hindi designation.
Court Seeks Clarification from Central Government
During the proceedings, the court instructed the counsel representing the Central government to obtain appropriate instructions on this matter. This move underscores the judicial scrutiny over linguistic representation in public infrastructure, highlighting a potential discrepancy in how institutions are named across languages.
The petitioner's counsel brought to light that the Supreme Court's own website uses the Hindi name 'Bharat ka Sarvoch Nyayalaya', translating to 'Supreme Court of India'. This revelation has fueled the argument for consistency in naming practices, especially for landmarks associated with such a pivotal institution.
Implications for Public Naming Conventions
The case raises broader questions about language policy and cultural identity in India's urban spaces. As metro stations serve as daily touchpoints for millions, their names carry symbolic weight. The Delhi High Court's intervention could set a precedent for how other public entities address bilingual or multilingual naming in the future.
Key points from the hearing include:
- The court's directive to DMRC to justify the current English-only naming.
- The reference to the Supreme Court's official Hindi title as a benchmark.
- The potential for this case to influence naming norms across India's metro networks.
This development comes amid ongoing discussions about promoting Hindi and other Indian languages in official contexts, balancing modernity with cultural heritage. The outcome of this legal query may impact not only the specific station but also similar naming disputes nationwide.
