SC Allows Use of MK Stalin’s Name in Tamil Nadu Govt Schemes, Sets Aside Madras HC Ban

The Supreme Court has overturned a Madras High Court decision that prohibited using Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin's name in state welfare schemes. The court criticised AIADMK MP C Ve Shanmugam for targeting the Tamil Nadu government and its leader, while similar practices exist in other states.

Supreme Court's Criticism

The Supreme Court expressed disapproval of the petitioner's focus on one political party and leader. "When such schemes are floated in the name of all leaders of political parties, we do not appreciate the anxiety of the petitioner to choose only one political party and one political leader," stated the court, as reported by LiveLaw.

The Madras High Court had issued its order on July 31. It banned using names of former chief ministers or living politicians in government schemes. This included prohibiting "the name of any living personality, photographs of former chief ministers or ideological leaders," and "party symbols, emblems, or flags of political parties," including those of the ruling DMK.

High Court's Initial Ruling

The initial ruling was delivered by a bench comprising Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice Sunder Mohan. They deemed it impermissible to use a living politician's name in government scheme titles. Additionally, they found using any ruling party's insignia or emblem to be against directives from both the Supreme Court and the Election Commission of India.

In response to this, the Supreme Court imposed a ₹10 lakh penalty on MP Shanmugam. This amount is to be deposited with the state and used for underprivileged schemes. The court emphasised that legal systems should remain uninvolved in political disputes.

Political Context

The Supreme Court highlighted that Shanmugam approached the High Court just three days after filing an application with the Election Commission. They described this action as an "abuse of the process of law." The court's decision underscores its stance against involving judicial processes in political rivalries.