'Prez gave assent to change Pondicherry to Poducherry'

Pondicherry, Sep 16: President A P J Abdul Kalam had given his assent to the Bill to change the name of Union Territory of Pondicherry into Puducherry, PMK Parliamentary Party Leader M Ramadass said here today.

In a statement here, Prof Ramadass said the Territorial Assembly in 1980 and 1996 had adopted unanimous resolutions urging to change the name into Puducherry and forwarded its to the Centre.

On the basis of the resolutions and the history of the Union Territory, the Union Home Ministry had obtained the nod of the Centre and the Bill to change the name was introduced and the debate held in Parliament, he said.

Based on the approval of both the Houses of Parliament, an Act was introduced, Mr Ramadass said.

The President had given his assent to the Act on September 13 and it was published in the Government Gazette the next day, he said, adding the change of the name came into force with effect from September 15.

UNI