Supreme Court quashes HC order banning MK Stalin-named scheme
What's the story
The Supreme Court on Wednesday quashed an interim order of the Madras High Court, which had banned the Tamil Nadu government from using Chief Minister MK Stalin's name for the "Ungaludan Stalin" scheme. The scheme was launched to create awareness about welfare programs. The bench, comprising Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and Justices K Vinod Chandran and NV Anjaria, heard petitions filed by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the Tamil Nadu government against the high court's order.
Legal proceedings
Court notes naming schemes after leaders common across India
During the hearing, the Supreme Court took issue with AIADMK MP CV Shanmugam for only challenging the Tamil Nadu government's scheme. The court noted that naming schemes after political leaders are common across India. It observed, "If the petitioner was so concerned about the misuse of political funds...could have made a challenge to all such schemes. However, singling out only one political leader shows the intentions of the petitioner."
Dismissal details
Petition 'misconceived in law,' says SC
The bench also disapproved of Shanmugam approaching the high court within three days of his representation to the Election Commission of India. The Supreme Court termed Shanmugam's writ petition as "misconceived in law" and an "abuse of the process of law." The court dismissed his petition and imposed a ₹10 lakh fine, which should be used for the welfare of the underprivileged.
Order
What Madras HC said
The Madras High Court order, in its July 31 order, barred the use of "the name of any living personality, photographs of former chief ministers or ideological leaders," and "party symbols, emblems, or flags of political parties," including the ruling DMK. The court passed the order on a petition by Shanmugam, who alleged that the state government was naming new schemes after the current CM in violation of the Supreme Court's directions.