SC quashes Madras HC ban on using CM Stalin's name for Tamil Nadu govt schemes

Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Wednesday set aside a Madras High Court order prohibiting the use of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin's name in state government schemes.

The apex court was hearing a petition filed by Tamil Nadu’s ruling party, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), challenging a Madras High Court order imposing “sweeping restrictions” against naming government welfare schemes after “any living personality”.

The court castigated the petitioner, AIADMK MP C Ve Shanmugam for singling out the state government and its Chief Minister when similar schemes exist in other states. “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,” the top court was quoted as saying by LiveLaw.

The Madras High Court order that the top court dismissed was passed on July 31. It banned the use of names of former CMs or living political personalities in government welfare schemes.

The order barred 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 apex court has also imposed a cost of 10 lakh on ADMK MP for “using courts to settle political scores”. The court directed that the ADMK MP CV Shanmugam to deposit Rs 10 lakh to Tamil Nadu government within a week and can use the said amount for a scheme of underprivileged.