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I.N.D.I.A. is an acronym which is an opposition front announced by the leaders of 26 parties to take on the BJP in the next year’s election. These parties have said that they will contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections together against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
A division bench of the Supreme Court today refused to entertain a public interest litigation petition seeking to restrain opposition political parties from using the acronym I.N.D.I.A for their alliance.
The acronym stands for Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance.
Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Sudhanshu Dhulia called out the PIL for being filed for 'publicity' following which the petitioner withdrew the same.
Notably, Delhi High Court last week issued notice on a similar plea seeking direction to opposition parties to prohibit from using the acronym I.N.D.I.A. (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance).
The bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Amit Mahajan issued notice to the Centre, Election Commission of India (ECI) and several political parties in the PIL.
CJ Sharma said orally, "This matter needs to be heard".
The matter will be next heard on October 31, 2023.
Filed by Girish Bharadwaj through Advocate Vaibhav Singh, the plea before High Court stated that several political parties using the country's national flag as the logo of their alliance is a further strategic move to attract and gain sympathy and votes of the innocent citizen and as a tool to give nudge and spark which may lead to political hatred which eventually will lead to political violence.
“…these all practice to use acronym I.N.D.I.A. (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) / INDIA of respondent political parties are only to attract and gain sympathy and votes of the innocent citizen and to use as a tool for political benefit and also to give a nudge or a spark which may lead to political hatred which eventually will lead to political violence”, the plea stated.
It stated that the parties have kept the name of the alliance as I.N.D.I.A. only to take undue advantages in the upcoming general elections in 2024.
“…the selfish act 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 said.
Case Title: ROHIT KHERIWAL vs. ELECTION COMMISSION OF INDIA AND ORS.
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