The Madras High Court recently dismissed a petition seeking to rename a government department from Tamil Valarchi Thurai (Tamil Development Department) to Tamil Membattu Thurai. The petitioner, a retired government employee, had approached the court after his request for renaming was rejected by the department. He argued that the word “Valarchi” (translated as growth, increase or enrichment) did not accurately capture the connotation of “development,” and proposed “Membattu Thurai” as a more appropriate name.
The division bench, headed by Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G Arul Murugan, observed that the naming and renaming of public departments falls exclusively within the domain of the government. The Court held that this is an administrative function and is not amenable to judicial interference under its writ jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution. The bench reasoned that the judiciary lacks the institutional mandate and expertise to evaluate or direct changes in nomenclature of government departments, which properly lies within the executive’s discretion.
On the question of delay, the Court pointed out that the impugned departmental order was issued in 2022, but the petition was filed only in 2025 — after a lapse of three years. It found no urgency or exceptional circumstances warranting the exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction. The bench also noted that the issue does not raise a broad public interest or affect the society at large; it is a narrow claim reflecting the petitioner’s personal preference rather than any systemic grievance.
After highlighting the absence of mala fide or discriminatory intent in the department’s decision, and finding no compelling public-interest dimension or breach of statutory duty, the Court categorised the plea as unsuitable for judicial intervention. It therefore dismissed the petition.
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