Cuttack: The Orissa High Court has issued notices to two individuals, both named Antaryami Mishra, after they separately claimed to be the recipient of the Padma Shri award in 2023. The court has asked them to appear on February 24 to present their cases.

As per the official Padma Shri awardee list of 2023, 'Shri Antaryami Mishra' from Odisha was listed in the 56th position for his contributions to literature and education. However, the award has sparked a legal battle between two men with the same name.

One of the claimants, a journalist, travelled to New Delhi and received the prestigious award from President Droupadi Murmu. Later, Dr Antaryami Mishra, a physician, approached the High Court, alleging that his namesake had impersonated him to obtain the honour.

In his writ petition, the doctor argued that he had authored 29 books in Odia and other Indian languages, which was the basis for his inclusion in the award list. He contended that the journalist had no published books and was not the rightful recipient of the award.

During a hearing on Tuesday, Justice S.K. Panigrahi remarked that despite the government's stringent verification process, an apparent mix-up had occurred due to the identical names, casting doubts on the selection system’s credibility. The court has directed both individuals to be physically present with all relevant publications and documents to support their claims.

The court has also issued notices to respondents, including the Union of India, seeking clarification on the matter.

Meanwhile, the journalist, who received the award and hails from Dhenkanal, said that he was unaware of the court case but would respond once he received the notice. He asserted that his nomination had strong backing from various individuals, including former Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan. He also mentioned that all government communications regarding the award were sent to his residence.

On the other hand, Anand Swain, the petitioner’s advocate, argued that his client, a resident of Tankapani Road in Bhubaneswar, had received a congratulatory call from the Ministry of Home Affairs, reinforcing his claim to the award.