Yogi cabinet renames Allahabad division Prayagraj, Faizabad Ayodhya

Shahira Naim
Tribune News Service
Lucknow, November 13

Continuing the name-changing spree, despite it being challenged in the High Court, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday changed the name of Allahabad division and Faizabad division to Prayagraj and Ayodhya, respectively.

Presiding over the Cabinet meeting, CM Yogi changed the name of Allahabad division to Pragayraj. Besides erstwhile Allahabad district the Allahabad division includes the districts of Kaushmbi, Fatehpur and Pratapgarh.

Similarly, the Faizabad division includes besides the erstwhile Faizabad district other districts of Ambedkar Nagar, Barabanki, Sultanpur and Amethi.

With the renaming of the two divisions, the name Allahabad and Faizabad would technically be wiped off the map of the country.

The names have been changed virtually cocking snooker at the Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court order seeking a reply from both the central and state governments on a Public Interest Litigation challenging the change of name of Allahabad.

Filed by a retired Provincial Civil Services officer Hari Shankar Pandey the PIL has sought directions to repeal the state government notification issued in connection with changing the name of Allahabad to Prayagraj.

The petition points out that the notification was issued to gain political advantage ignoring the procedure as mentioned in Section 6(2) of the Uttar Pradesh Revenue Code, 2006, and its rules.

Demanding the restoration of the name of Allahabad the PIL points out that changing the name would put a huge burden on the state and central exchequer.