A bill to replace the word “Bombay” with “Maharashtra” in the short titles of as many as 39 acts that are specified in the bill was introduced in the state legislative Assembly last week. Moreover, the bill has also proposed to substitute “Bombay” with retrospective effect from May 1, 1960 — the day when the state of Maharashtra, along with Gujarat, was created and the erstwhile Bombay state was dissolved. The private member bill was introduced by MLA Nitin Sardesai, who is the member in-charge of a MLAs committee. The committee was formed by some MLAs of various parties on their own.
“A private member bill is an effective tool in the hands of the Opposition to pressurise the government. As per the procedure, a discussion is held on the bill introduced by MLAs. Usually, though the government rejects the bill, the demands of the bill are incorporated by the government in its own bill,” said an MLA.
The bill states that any reference to the short title of “Bombay Act”, specified in any bill, rules, regulations, by-laws, schemes, notifications or orders or any other instrument would be construed as reference to the “Maharashtra Act”.
The bill states that while last year, the state celebrated its golden jubilee and this year marks the platinum jubilee of the state Legislature — clearly implying that the state has been in existence since May 1, 1960 — prior to which the “Bombay Acts” referred to the state of Bombay but now, they need to refer to the state of Maharashtra. Hence, it was necessary to make the change.
Introducing the bill, Mr Sardesai said that in Gujarat they have the Gujarat Act, in other states they have their own state names but in Maharashtra, it is still the Bombay Act. “The Act should have titles with most known names. In Gujarat and other states they use their mother tongues. In Maharashtra too, Marathi should be used at every possible place. Maharashtrians should seriously think on those terms,” said Mr Sardesai.
The use of the word “Bombay” in several Acts such as the Bombay Municipal Corporation Act, Bombay Police Act, Bombay Stamp Act, Bombay Shop And Establishment Act etc. have been the bone of contention in the state legislature for several years. MLAs from all parties, and particularly from Shiv Sena have been demanding that the state should make amendments in all such laws to change its title from Bombay to Maharashtra.