Political Parties Prohibited from Using INDIA Acronym: PIL Moves Delhi High Court
A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Delhi High Court, seeking a directive for political parties to refrain from using the acronym I.N.D.I.A. (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance). The petitioner, Girish Upadhya, represented by Advocate Vaibhav Singh, argues that the use of the acronym serves as a strategic move to attract sympathy and gain votes, potentially inciting political hatred and violence.
INDIA, which stands for Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, is an opposition front comprising leaders from 26 parties aiming to challenge the BJP in the upcoming elections.
The PIL alleges that political parties are intentionally using the acronym INDIA to harm the goodwill of the nation, not only within India but also on international platforms. The petitioner argues that if the term INDIA is used as an acronym, rather than its full form, it may cause confusion among citizens. If the I.N.D.I.A. alliance suffers defeat in the 2024 general election, it could be mistakenly perceived as a defeat for the entire nation. This misinterpretation could further ignite political violence.
The plea asserts that such actions by political parties could disrupt the peaceful, transparent, and fair casting of votes in the future election, potentially leading to unrest and impacting law and order in the country.
Scheduled for August 4, 2023, the plea will be heard by a Division bench comprising Justice Satish Chander Sharma and Justice Sanjeev Narula.
The petition requests the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and Election Commission of India to take necessary measures to prevent political parties from using the acronym I.N.D.I.A. The motion specifically names political parties such as 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).
The plea aims to address the potential harm caused by the misuse of the acronym while upholding the integrity of the nation and its democratic processes.
