Delhi HC issues notice to Centre, ECI and 26 parties over use of acronym INDIA for opposition alliance
Delhi HC issues notice to Centre, ECI and opposition parties over use of acronym INDIA for alliance
The Delhi High Court issued notice to the Centre, Election Commission of India (ECI), and 26 political parties on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking a directive to opposition political parties to restrict the use of the acronym I.N.D.I.A. (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) for their political alliance.
On Friday, the bench of Justice Satish Chander Sharma and Justice Amit Mahajan sought the response of the Centre through the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and the Election Commission of India (ECI) and listed the matter for hearing on October 31, 2023.
"It has to be heard. It requires hearing. Notice issued," the bench said.
However, it refused to pass any interim order and also said that no order can be passed without hearing the respondents.
"We can't pass any order like this. Let the response of the other side come. We will definitely look into it," the bench said.
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The court also sought the responses of opposition parties including the Indian National Congress, TMC, RLD, JDU, Samajwadi Party, DMK, Aam Aadmi Party, JMM, NCP, Shiv Sena (UBT), RJD, Apna Dal (Kamerawadi), PDP, JKNC, CPI, CPI (M), MDMK, Konganadu Makkal Desia Katchi (KMDK), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, Indian Union Muslim League, Revolutionary Socialist Party, Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation, All India Forward Bloc, Kerala Congress (Joseph), Kerala Congress (Mani), and Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK).
Petitioner calls it a strategic move by 26 political parties
Petitioner Girish Bharadwaj, through his Advocate Vaibhav Singh, said that many political parties were using the Indian flag as a symbol for their alliance as a strategy to attract and gain the sympathy and votes of the citizens of the country. He further stated that this move could also be directed towards giving a nudge that may instigate political hatred triggering violence in the country.
The petition also stated that these political parties, during their meeting in Bengaluru, declared that they will contest the elections together in the year 2024 against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
"By dragging the name of our nation, Mr. (Rahul) Gandhi very cunningly presented the name of their alliance as the name of our nation and tried to show that the NDA/ BJP and Hon'ble Prime Minister Mr. (Narendra) Modi is in conflict with our own nation, that is, INDIA and this attempt of Mr. Gandhi had created confusion in the mind of common people that the upcoming general election of 2024 will be a fight between political parties or between alliance and our country."
"That by creating this confusion, the respondent political parties want to take undue advantage in the name of our country," the plea said.
(With inputs from agencies)
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