SC Declines Plea on D B Patil Naming Demand for Navi Mumbai Airport

The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to entertain a plea seeking directions to the Centre for a time-bound decision on the Maharashtra government’s proposal to rename the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport after veteran leader D B Patil , observing that such decisions fall within the domain of government policy and not the judiciary.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi made it clear that courts cannot decide what public infrastructure projects should be named. “This will amount to indulging in policy making,” the bench observed while refusing to interfere in the matter.

The plea was filed by Prakashjhot Samajik Sanstha , which challenged a November 2025 order of the Bombay High Court dismissing a similar petition. The petitioner had sought a direction to the Union government to take a decision within a fixed timeframe on Maharashtra’s proposal to officially rename the airport as ‘Lokneta D B Patil Navi Mumbai International Airport’ .

The apex court, however, granted liberty to the petitioner to approach the competent authority for further consideration of the issue.

The naming of the airport has remained a politically and emotionally sensitive issue in Maharashtra for several years. The greenfield airport project in Navi Mumbai is considered one of India’s most significant aviation infrastructure developments and is expected to reduce congestion at Mumbai’s existing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport after becoming operational.

Dinkar Balu Patil , popularly known as D B Patil , was a prominent leader known for championing the rights of farmers and project-affected families during major land acquisitions in Navi Mumbai and Raigad district. Several local organisations, farmer groups, and members of the influential Agri-Koli community have long demanded that the airport be named after him as recognition of the sacrifices made by local landowners.

The controversy had earlier intensified amid competing demands from political groups over the airport’s name. While some organisations had pushed for naming it after late Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray , local residents and farmer bodies strongly backed D B Patil’s name.

In 2021, the Maharashtra Cabinet approved the proposal recommending D B Patil’s name and forwarded it to the Centre for final approval. However, the Union government is yet to take a final call on the matter.

During the hearing, the Supreme Court also remarked that while citizens have the right to protest, demonstrations should not cause inconvenience to the public, reinforcing the judiciary’s broader stand that symbolic decisions such as naming public institutions are primarily matters of executive policy.