The Delhi High Court on Friday issued notice to the Centre, Election Commission of India (ECI), and Several opposition political parties on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) for direction to opposition political parties to prohibit the use of the acronym I.N.D.I.A. (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) for their political alliance.
The bench of Justice Satish Chander Sharma and Justice Amit Mahajan on Friday sought the response of the Centre Government 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.
Meanwhile, the Court refused to grant an earlier date for the next hearing and also refused to pass any interim order to restrain the said political parties from using the acronym I.N.D.I.A.
However, in the matter, the court also sought the responses of opposition parties named on the petition, 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 Girish Upadhya, through Advocate Vaibhav Singh, stated that several political parties are using India’s national flag as the logo of their alliance, which is a further strategic move to attract and gain the sympathy and votes of innocent citizens and as a tool to give a nudge or a spark that may lead to political hatred, which eventually will lead to political violence.
I.N.D.I.A. is an acronym for Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, which is an opposition front announced by the leaders of 26 parties to take on the BJP in next year’s elections, stated the petitioner.
The plea alleged that political parties are using the acronym India with malicious intent, which will only act as a factor in diminishing the goodwill of our great nation, i.e., India (Bharat), not only in our country but also on various international platforms.
The plea stated that if the term I.N.D.I.A. will be used by the Indian and International Media as an acronym but not in its full form (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance), it will create a sense of confusion among innocent citizens. If the alliance, i.e., I.N.D.I.A. (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance), is defeated or loses the general election of 2024, then it would be projected as India as a whole is defeated, which will hurt the sentiment of innocent citizens of the country again which may lead to political violence in the country.
The acts of these political parties may adversely affect the peaceful, transparent, and fair casting of votes during the upcoming general election of 2024, which may expose the citizens to unwarranted violence and also affect the law and order of the country, the plea added.