The right to change one’s name or surname is a part of the right to life under Article 21, the High Courts of Allahabad and Delhi recently said.
Key points
- Allowing a man called Shahnawaz to change his name to Md. Sameer Rao, the Allahabad HC on May 25 said the fundamental right to keep or change one’s name is vested in every citizen under Articles 19(1)(a), 21, and 14 of the Constitution.
- The Delhi HC on May 19 allowed a plea filed by two brothers to reflect their father’s changed surname — from “Mochi” to “Nayak” — on their Class 10 and 12 Board certificates, stating that the right to identity is an “intrinsic part” of the right to life under Article 21.
