Bombay High Court Calls for Maharashtra Government’s Answer to Deputy Mayor’s Tipu Sultan Portrait Petition

On Thursday, September 17, 2026, the Bombay High Court pressed the Maharashtra government for a written response to a rather unusual petition filed by Shaan‑e‑Hind Nihal Ahmed, the Deputy Mayor of Malegaon Municipal Corporation.

Ahmed, a member of the Samajwadi Party, says she proudly displays a gallery of Indian icons in her office – Shivaji Maharaj, Mahatma Gandhi, Rani Laxmibai, Subhash Chandra Bose, Savitribai Phule, Babasaheb Ambedkar, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Maulana Azad, Bhagat Singh, Jyotiba Phule, Shahu Maharaj and, notably, Tipu Sultan.

According to the petition, the Maharashtra police recently sent a communication asking that the portrait of Tipu Sultan be removed. The move sparked a flurry of objections, not only from Ahmed but also from Nilesh Kakade, the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) leader and opposition figure in the Malegaon Municipal Corporation.

Ahmed’s counsel, M. M. Vashi, argued that the old government circulars and resolutions – dating back to September 1965 – merely permit the display of “leaders of the country” in government premises. He pointed out that those documents never listed personalities such as Abdul Kalam, Fatima Shaikh or Bhagat Singh, suggesting that the authorities are picking and choosing which figures are acceptable.

The bench, comprising Chief Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna, listened attentively, noted the procedural angles, and then adjourned the case, giving the state a window to file its reply.

While the court has not yet taken a side, the hearing has already stirred a broader conversation about historical memory, regional politics and who gets to be honored on the walls of public offices.

For now, the picture of Tipu Sultan remains in limbo, and all eyes are on the Maharashtra government’s forthcoming response.