India, April 24 -- The Health Committee of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is set to deliberate on a proposal to rename the KEM (King Edward Memorial) Hospital in Parel at its meeting on Friday, setting the stage for a political face-off.

The proposal, put forward by Mumbai suburban district's joint guardian minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha, seeks to rename the city's largest civic-run hospital as "Kaushalyashreshta Eklavya Memorial Hospital". With a capacity of 2,250 beds and an average daily OPD footfall of around 6,000 patients, KEM Hospital is among Mumbai's busiest public healthcare institutions.

Lodha had written to health committee chairperson Harish Bandirge on March 25, urging that colonial-era names of public institu...