The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has issued an interim stay on the Tamil Nadu government’s order to remove caste names from streets, roads, and residential areas.
The case was brought forward by a petitioner from the Anuppanadi area of Madurai, who challenged the government order that aims to eliminate caste names from public places, citing that such names have existed for decades without causing any reported problems.
The petitioner argued that this move, issued under a government order originally dated back to 1978, appears to be politically motivated to sow division and promote certain party leaders’ or supporters’ names instead.
During the hearing, senior advocates representing the petitioner stated that the government’s intention behind the order is to remove the names of freedom fighters and spiritual leaders as well, which is unfair and unlawful. They also highlighted that the government did not seek public opinion before issuing this directive, which makes the order illegal.
The judges have allowed a field inquiry to assess the situation but have temporarily halted any action related to the removal of names from streets and roads.The court ordered the Tamil Nadu government to respond to the petition and decided to postpone the case further pending the government’s submission.
This interim stay reflects the judiciary’s cautious approach in balancing social harmony and administrative decisions affecting public nomenclature.
