IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
RAVINDRA V. GHUGE, ASHWIN D. BHOBE
Milind Vinod Seth. (earlier name – Appellant
Versus
State Of Maharashtra, (through the Government Pleader) Original Side. High Court of Bombay – Respondent
JUDGMENT :
Ravindra V. Ghuge, J.
1. This matter is listed in the “prioritised cases” category keeping in view that it is pending final hearing for 14 years.
2. On 25.11.2025, this matter was briefly heard and considering the conspectus of the matter, we listed the same today for disposal.
3. The learned Advocate for the Board seeks an adjournment. We are rejecting the request since this matter is pending for 14 years and a very short issue is involved. Moreover, the Board is not a contesting Respondent, keeping in view the peculiar facts of the case.
4. The Petitioner was 18 years old when he approached this Court in 2011. His mother Sheila P. George professes the christian religion. She is from Kerala. The Petitioner’s father Vinod Seth is a Hindu. A marriage was solmanised solemnised between Vinod and Sheila on 27th January, 1992 in a church when the Petitioner’s father embraced Christianity and changed his name from Vinod Seth to Thomas Seth. The marriage was solemnised on 27th January, 1992. The couple got divorced through a decree of divorce dated 26.10.2007, in Petition No. A-1269 of 2005, before the Family Court, Mumbai. The Petitioner and his younger brother remained in the cust
The court upheld the authority of birth certificates over subsequent school records for name changes, asserting the necessity for consistency in official identification.
The right to change one's name is a fundamental right, but such changes do not retroactively alter educational records reflecting past identities.
The court determined that the last Higher Secondary Examination Certificate should govern the correction of names in the birth certificate, overriding earlier School records.
The court affirmed the right to change one's religion and name in official records under Rule 3(1) of KER 1959, supported by constitutional protections.
The main legal point established in the judgment is that the Examination Bye-Laws of CBSE are not of statutory nature, and a strict and restrictive approach in matters involving correction or change ....
Login now and unlock free premium legal research
Login to SupremeToday AI and access free legal analysis, AI highlights, and smart tools.
Login
now!
India’s Legal research and Law Firm App, Download now!
Copyright © 2023 Vikas Info Solution Pvt Ltd. All Rights Reserved.