The Central government has recently expressed its disagreement with a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) presented before the Delhi High Court. This PIL advocates for the replacement of the term ‘Central government‘ with ‘Union Government‘ in all official documents, laws, and communications.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The driving force behind this PIL is 84-year-old social activist, Atmaram Saraogi. He firmly believes that the terminology used should reflect the Constitution’s characterization of India as a “Union of States.” He argues that the term ‘Central Government’ is an outdated concept, reminiscent of the governance structures during the British Raj, and is not in alignment with the spirit of the Indian Constitution.
To bolster his argument, Saraogi, through his representative advocate Hemant Raj Phalpher and with the support of Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, has also called for a re-evaluation of the General Clauses Act. Specifically, he seeks the removal of the definition of ‘Central government‘ from the Act, asserting that it is ultra vires, or beyond the powers of the constitution.
During the court proceedings, Sankaranarayanan passionately argued for the cause, stating,
“Are we going to be casual about the phrases we use, especially if the Union of India wants to present itself as if it is a different entity from what it constitutionally is? It is not the Central government. It is the Union of India.”
This PIL not only underscores the significance of precise terminology in official contexts but also emphasizes the need for such terminology to be in harmony with the foundational principles and characterizations laid out in the Indian Constitution.
