MP HC junks plea against renaming Habibganj station, imposes fine

Bhopal, Jan 22 (IANS) The Madhya Pradesh High Court has dismissed a petition challenging the government's decision to rename Habibganj railway station after Gond queen Rani Kamlapati and imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on the petitioner.A division bench of Justices Sheel Nagu and Sunita Yadav dismissed the petition, terming it as 'frivolous' and 'vexatious' piece of litigation which has consumed precious time of the court. The court dismissed the plea observing that it does not perceive any public cause involved in the petition, which appears to have been filed to gain cheap publicity."This court fails to comprehend as to how the name of a particular Railway Station would lead to furtherance of public cause," it said.The court further noted that a cause of public is served by quality and quantity of amenities and facilities available at a railway station and in facilitating ease of travelling by train. This act of facilitation has nothing to do with the name of a particular Railway Station."The present petition stands dismissed with cost of Rs 10,000 which shall be paid by the petitioner in the Registry to be utilised for purchasing necessary articles and equipment for dealing with the crisis arising out of the third wave of Covid-19 pandemic," the court said.The petition was filed by a Seoni-based lawyer, A.S. Qureshi on the ground that in 1973 one Guru Habeeb Miyan had donated his land to the Railways on which the station was constructed. Therefore, the station's old name (Habibganj) should be restored.The Habibganj railway station which has been renovated and facilitated with world class amenities for the passengers has been renamed after Gond queen Rani Kamalapati during a visit of Prime Narendra Modi's visit in Bhopal on November 15, 2021.
--IANS pd/svn/skp/

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