Family approaches HC to change daughter's name: Demand to replace 'Lakshmi' with 'Veena'; Says astrology is more auspicious, says Karnataka High Court

The parents of a 16-year-old girl in Karnataka approached the High Court to change her name. The family had demanded that the name of the girl be changed from 'Lakshmi' to 'Veena'. They said that according to astrology and numerology, the name 'Veena' would be more auspicious for the girl. The civil court rejected the family's petition. The girl's father then appealed to the High Court. Justice Hanchate Sanjeev Kumar on Thursday set aside the lower court's decision and allowed the name to be changed. In the judgment, Justice Hanchate Sanjeev Kumar said that every person in the society is identified by his name. Therefore, the right to be identified by name is a civil right. According to the court, a suit can be filed in the civil court to amend or change the name. Born in 2010, named 'Lakshmi' According to the court, the girl was born on October 10, 2010. During the naming ceremony, she was named 'Lakshmi N'. Later, the parents decided to change the name. The girl's father filed a case in the civil court. It demanded that the girl's name be declared 'Veena N' and a new name be recorded in the school records. However, the petition was rejected. On what grounds did the civil court reject the petition? The civil court said that no documentary evidence has been produced to show that the name 'Veena N' is there. The court also said that the parents had not earlier approached the girl's school and requested for a change of name. The family told the high court that public notices were published in the newspapers regarding the name change. They also referred to a circular of the Karnataka government, which stated that a civil court decree was necessary to change the name. The high court said that the trial court erred in assuming that there should be documentary evidence of the use of the name 'Veena'. According to the court, the family's issue was not that the girl's name was mistakenly registered as 'Lakshmi N' in the school. From the beginning, the issue was to change the name. The court said that the only demand of the girl was that she should henceforth be known as 'Veena N'. Therefore, there is no question of submitting an old document bearing the name 'Veena N'. No one objected to the name change The High Court noted that no one had objected to the demand for change of name. The court also held that it would not cause any harm to the respondents or any other person. On this basis, the High Court allowed the change of name from 'Lakshmi N.' to 'Veena N.' and directed that it be recorded in the relevant records. The school itself has the right to change the name The court made it clear that the school cannot change the name of any person at its own level. For this, a decree of a competent civil court is required. The High Court also referred to the circular dated October 26, 2025 of the Karnataka government. It has been said to obtain a decree from the competent civil court for a change in name, parents' name or date of birth.