Names of Bombay and Madras cities were changed long back to Mumbai and Chennai, respectively. However, the names of Bombay High Court and Madras High Court have remained the same. Now, these names are likely to be changed as Mumbai High Court and Chennai High Court, respectively, through an Act of Parliament.
It is reported that the proposal of the Department of Justice in the Law Ministry of the Central Government is to bring a Bill to rename these two high courts established in the 1860s under the Indian High Court Act, 1861.
It is noteworthy that the Indian High Courts Act of 1861 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which authorized the Crown to issue letters patent to create High Courts in India. The Indian High Courts Act, 1861, did not by itself create and establish the High Courts in India. The Charter of High Court of Bombay was issued on June 26, 1862, and the Bombay High Court was inaugurated on 14th August, 1862. Bombay High Court has Appellate Jurisdiction over the States of Maharashtra and Goa, and also over the Union Territories of Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli. In addition to its principal seat at Bombay (now Mumbai), it has benches at Aurangabad, Nagpur, Panaji (in Goa).
Similarly, the Madras High Court of Judicature was also established by Letters Patent granted by Her Majesty Queen Victoria, bearing date 26th June 1862. In addition to the principal seat at Madras (now Chennai), it has a bench located at Madurai which was inaugurated on 24.07.2004.
With the change in the names of Bombay and Madras as Mumbai and Chennai, respectively, most of the institutions, having connection with the names of these cities, had changed their names correspondingly. However, the names of these two High Courts have not been changed so far, which sometimes causes confusion. So, it is good that finally the Central Government has thought of bringing in a Bill in the Parliament to change the names of these two High Courts.
In fact, in addition, there are demands to change the name of Calcutta High Court to Kolkata High Court, in view of the change in name of Calcutta. It may be noted that the Calcutta High Court is the first High Court in India and one of the three chartered high courts to be set up in India, along with the high courts of Bombay, Madras.
Oh no. We say Bombay because it sounds much better than Mumbai.
And it was known as Bombay for 300 years.