The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday asked the West Bengal government to submit on record whether it has given the names Sita and Akbar to the two lions brought to Siliguri's Bengal Safari Park from Tripura, Bar and Bench reports.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad has filed a petition before the Jalpaiguri Circuit Bench of Calcutta High Court claiming that a lioness transferred to Bengal Safari Park here from Tripura was named "Sita" and prayed that the name be changed.
Single-judge Justice Saugata Bhattacharya said that it will have to consider hearing the petition filed by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) against the naming of the lions, only if the State has given such names.
This was after Additional Advocate General Debjyoti Choudhary told the Court that the State hasn't given any names to the animals.
"If no names are given, then there is no point in considering this petition. But if names are given like this, we will have to intervene," Justice Bhattacharya said, according to the report.
The Court, therefore, ordered the State to submit on record whether it has given any name to the animals.
It then posted the case for Thursday.