Rajasthan HC Questions Use of ‘Maharaja’ and ‘Princess’ Titles in Petitions

The Rajasthan High Court has questioned the use of royal titles such as “Maharaja” and “Princess” in legal petitions, asking former royals why they continue to use these designations in official documents.

The issue came up during the hearing of a 2001 petition challenging house tax dues, filed by the legal heirs of late Jagat Singh and Prithviraj Singh. Justice Mahendra Kumar Goyal directed the petitioners to remove the royal prefixes from their names and resubmit the amended documents. The Court cautioned that failure to do so could lead to the dismissal of the petition. The next hearing is scheduled for October 13.

This is not the first time the High Court has raised concerns over the use of royal titles. In January 2022, the Court made similar observations in another case, seeking responses from the Central and State governments. The bench referred to Article 363A of the Constitution, which abolished privy purses and special privileges for former princely families.

The Court also highlighted Article 14, which ensures equality before the law, reiterating that no individual enjoys a special status by birth or lineage. Similar objections have been noted earlier by the Jodhpur bench of the High Court as well.