On the 75th anniversary of Subhas Chandra Bose’s historic visit to the Andaman Islands, three islands—Havelock, Ross, and Neil Island are set to be renamed in his honour. The announcement heralds a new era for these islands, renewing the legacy of the famous Indian freedom fighter, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
Renaming of Andaman Islands
As a tribute to the contribution of Subhas Chandra Bose, Havelock Island will receive a new name – Swaraj Dweep. In similar fashion, Ross Island will be known as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Island while Neil island will proudly wear the name Shaheed Dweep.
On December 30, 1943, Bose hoisted the Indian national flag on the Gymkhana Ground (now named Netaji Stadium) in Port Blair, marking the first liberation of Indian territory from British rule, after the Japanese defeated the British forces during World War II. At that momentous time, Bose christened the Andaman Island as Shaheed and Nicobar Island as Swaraj.
Moreover, Bose appointed General AD Loganathan of the Indian National Army (INA) as the Governor of the islands. This renaming act serves as a reminder of this important piece of history.
| Old Name | New Name |
|---|---|
| Havelock Island | Swaraj Dweep |
| Ross Island | Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Island |
| Neil Island | Shaheed Dweep |
Splitting of High Courts for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
Simultaneously, another noteworthy change in the Indian administrative landscape is taking place. Adhering to a Supreme Court order, the President has ordered the segregation of the common Hyderabad High Court into two distinct High Courts for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. This change will be effective from January 1, 2019.
This decision is in sync with the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, which envisaged having a common high court for both states until separate courts were established. As enshrined in Article 214 of the Constitution, every state shall have a High Court. With this bifurcation, India now boasts of 25 high courts.
Taking up the mantle of Chief Justice for the newly formed Andhra Pradesh High Court is Justice Ramesh Ranganathan, presently serving as the Chief Justice of Uttarakhand High Court. Including the chief justice, the court will have a strength of 16 judges.
From the existing pool, ten judges serving the joint high court will now be assigned to the Telangana High Court. The principal seat of Andhra Pradesh High Court will be Amaravati, while Hyderabad will house the separate High Court of the State of Telangana.
