Current Affairs - Bills and Acts - Discussion

The Bombay High Court clarified that using civilian awards such as the Bharat Ratna or Padma awards as prefixes or suffixes to a person’s name violates Article 18(1) of the Indian Constitution. Article 18(1) prohibits the State from conferring titles, ensuring equality among citizens. Although these awards are constitutionally valid as honours recognizing excellence, they are not titles and must not be treated as such. Misuse of these honours as name attachments undermines the constitutional principle of equality and can lead to forfeiture under Regulation 10, reinforcing the need for strict compliance with constitutional values.