JUDGMENT :

Heard Mr. A.M. Barbhuiya, learned counsel for the petitioner. Also heard Mr. T.C. Chutia, learned standing counsel, SEBA, representing both the respondents.

2. The petitioner, who was born on 01.01.2002 with the name “Abjal Hussain Laskar”, had, on attaining the age of majority, decided to change his birth name and assume the name “Aayan Akhter Laskar”. The petitioner accordingly took steps for swearing an affidavit and thereafter published a notice in the daily newspaper “Assam Tribune” declaring that he had changed his name from “Abjal Hussain Laskar” to “Aayan Akhter Laskar”. The petitioner thereafter got the change effected in his name notified in the Gazette of India dated 29.11.2022.

It is projected by the petitioner that in the public documents, like his Birth Certificate, Voter Identity Card, Marksheet of his B. Tech. examination, Aadhaar Card, Pan Card, etc., he had got changed his name recorded earlier and in all the above documents, his name now has been recorded as “Aayan Akhter Laskar”.

3. The petitioner to maintain parity with the name recorded in the above noted public documents and in his HSLC Examination records, approached the Board of Secondary Education,