Navi Mumbai Airport Renaming Issue: Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant on Tuesday observed that everyone has a right to do a peaceful protest, which is permissible in law, but they should not create problems for other people. The CJI made the statement while hearing a plea related to renaming the Navi Mumbai International Airport. When the counsel said people were protesting on the roads seeking to rename the airport, the bench observed that everyone has the right to do a peaceful protest.
SC Refuses To Entertain Plea Over Renaming Navi Mumbai International Airport
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court refused to entertain a plea seeking a direction to the Centre to take a time-bound decision on the Maharashtra government's proposal regarding the renaming of the Navi Mumbai International Airport.
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"This will amount to indulging in policy making," a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi told the counsel appearing for the petitioner organisation 'Prakashjhot Samajik Sanstha'.
The bench said it was not inclined to entertain the plea challenging a November 2025 order of the Bombay High Court, which had dismissed the petition. "Let the state government pursue it. In a democratic set-up, you have certain rights, and you can pursue them. You know it very well," the bench observed.
What Is The Issue?
Leaders from the Agri-Koli coastal communities in Navi Mumbai, along with supporters of late farmer leader DB Patil, have been demanding the renaming of the airport in their leader's name, which has been supported by the State government and remained under consideration at the Centre.
The Maharashtra government had forwarded a proposal to rename the Navi Mumbai International Airport as 'Lokneta DB Patil Navi Mumbai International Airport'. After the petitioners' plea was rejected in the Bombay High Court, they moved to the Supreme Court, where they faced the same fate.
While dealing with the plea, the high court had noted that a writ court exercising the jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution shall have no powers to issue a direction to the Ministry of Civil Aviation to accept the proposal moved by the Maharashtra government.
"As understood in legal parlance, a proposal is only an expression of intention and a decision thereon can be taken as per the rules, regulations and statutory provisions," the high court had said, while dismissing the public interest litigation.
(With PTI Inputs)