The Allahabad High Court has announced that it is a fundamental right for citizens to change their name, according to their personal preferences. The court made this ruling in response to a writ petition filed by Sameer Rao, who had challenged the rejection of his application to have his name changed on his high school and intermediate examination certificates. The court ruled that this rejection by the Uttar Pradesh Board of High School and Intermediate Education violated Rao’s fundamental rights under Article 19(1)(a) (freedom of speech and expression), Article 21 (right to life and personal liberty), and Article 14 (right to equality) of the Constitution of India.
The court found that the Board’s regulations, which required an application for name change to be filed within three years of the examinations, were in violation of fundamental rights as they were arbitrary and disproportionate. The court also noted that changing one’s name is an integral part of an individual’s life and that it is experienced in all aspects of life, including social engagements.
The court directed the Board to allow Rao’s application to change his name from Shahnawaz to Md. Sameer Rao and to issue new examination certificates reflecting the change. This ruling reinforces the importance of individual choice and personal liberty, and affirms that citizens have the right to change their name according to their personal preferences.
