Madhya Pradesh HC imposes costs of Rs.10,000 on PIL challenging renaming Habibganj Railway Station to Rani Kamlapati Railway Station as it was frivolous
The Madhya Pradesh High Court imposed the costs of Rs.10,000 on PIL challenging renaming Habibganj Railway Station to Rani Kamlapati Railway Station as it was frivolous.
The petitioner who claimed himself to be a public spirited person has filed the petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India raising the alleged public cause that the name of ‘Habibganj’ Railway Station has been wrongly changed to ‘Rani Kamlapati’ Railway Station and, therefore a prayer is made for quashing of the order and renaming the Station as ‘Habibganj’ Railway Station.
Advocate Vinay Pratap Singh on behalf of the petitioner, contended that in 1973 one Guru Habeeb Miyan donated his land to the Railway Department on which the said Railway Station was constructed and thus was rightly named after the donor as ‘Habibganj’ Railway Station.
It is further argued that with mala fide intention and to hurt the sentiments of the Muslim community, the name of the Railway Station has been changed.
The division bench of Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sunita Yadav noted that the cause of the public is served by the quality and quantity of amenities and facilities available at a Railway Station so as to facilitate the ease of traveling by train.
The court said that the present petition is a frivolous and vexatious piece of litigation which has consumed precious time of the Court, which could have been utilized in hearing & deciding more pressing matters and, therefore, the petitioner deserves to be saddled with cost.
The court while dismissing the petition directed the petitioner to pay Rs. 10,000/- in the Registry to be utilized for purchasing necessary articles & equipment for dealing with the crisis arising out of the third wave of Covid 19 pandemic.
Case Title: AHMAD SAYEED QURESI v/s UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS
Citation: WP No. 776 of 2022
