Allahabad High Court declared that the right to choose or change one’s name is a fundamental right under the Indian Constitution. The court’s decision came after a petition was filed by a man named Sameer Rao, who sought to change his name from \”Shahnawaz\” to \”Md sameer Rao\” The petition argued that the refusal of his request violated his fundamental rights. The right to change one’s name falls within the purview of several fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution. These include the right of freedom of speech under Article 19(1)(a), right to personal liberty under Article 21, and right to equality under Article 14. The bench, underscoring the significance of names, noted that a person’S name is an inalienable part of their identity, essential for social interaction and integration. It further remarked that the power and significance of Names transcend time and geographical boundaries, playing a vital role in human existence. The case stemmed from an earlier decision by the Uttar Pradesh Board of Secondary Education, which had rejected Sameer’s request to changed his name in his school records. The board cited a rule that allowed name changes only within three years of document issuance, but the court, however, ruled that such regulations were arbitrary and did not align with the principles of fairness, justice, and equality enshrined in the constitution.
