Andhra HC dismisses plea to rename Nandyal district

VIJAYAWADA: The High Court of Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday dismissed a petition seeking orders to rename Nandyal district after freedom fighter Uyyalawada Narasimha Reddy. Social worker Kethireddy Jagadeeswara Reddy filed a PIL seeking renaming of Nandyal district in June. He stated that the State government had ignored his request to name the newly created Nandyal district after freedom fighter Uyyalawada Narasimha Reddy of Banaganapalle. The court which reserved its verdict, dismissed the petition on Tuesday.

The division bench, comprising Chief Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and Justice DVSS Somayajulu, said naming the district or town after a political leader, freedom fighter, social reformer or any other person is the government’s prerogative and it is not in the ambit of the court.

In case the petitioner wants the court to give such directions, he should prove that the government had violated law or people’s legal rights. As there was no such development in the PIL filed before the court, the same was dismissed, the bench observed.