Descendants of prominent Maratha royal families, along with several citizens, have moved the Bombay High Court against the "removal" of the Maratha empire map from the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT)'s Class 8 social science textbook.

The royal family descendants and the citizens, in their public interest litigation (PIL) filed on Tuesday, have sought restoration of figure 3.11, a map showing the Maratha empire's territorial reach in 1759 CE, stretching from Thanjavur (in present-day Tamil Nadu) to Peshawar (in Pakistan).

Among the petitioners are Raje Mudhojirao Raje Ajitsinghrao Bhonsle from Nagpur, Shivaji Dattatray Raje Jadhav, a descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's mother Rajmata Jijamata, and Raghujiraje Shahjiraje Angre from Raigad, along with other citizens.

The PIL, filed through advocate Ashishraje Gaikwad, said the petitioners are "deeply aggrieved" by the NCERT's "unilateral, arbitrary, non-transparent, and procedurally flawed decision" to remove the map from the Class 8 textbook, including Hindi, Urdu, and English social science syllabus of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).

The petition claimed no historical documents, gazetteers or academic research were consulted before taking the decision to remove the map.

"Such removal violates fundamental rights under the Constitution depriving students of accurate historical education and infringing upon cultural identity rights," the plea said.

It urged the HC to quash the NCERT's decision and to order restoration of the map in the social science textbook.

The petitioners are likely to request the HC to take up the plea for hearing this week.