In a significant interim ruling, the Madras High Court has restrained the Tamil Nadu government from naming new or rebranded public schemes after any living personality and from using the portraits of former Chief Ministers, ideological leaders, or the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) insignia, emblem, or flag in government advertisements promoting those schemes.
The First Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice Sunder Mohan, passed the order on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by AIADMK Member of Parliament C. Ve. Shanmugam. The petition challenges the use of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s name in the state’s flagship public outreach programme, Ungaludan Stalin.
“Therefore, we are inclined to pass an interim order to the effect that while launching and operating government welfare schemes through various advertisements, the name of any living personality, photograph of any former Chief Minister/ideological leaders or party insignia/emblem/flag of Respondent number 4 (DMK) shall not be included,” the Bench said.
The court, however, clarified that its order does not restrain the government from launching or operating any welfare scheme. “We have not passed any order against the launch, implementation, or operation of any welfare scheme of the government,” the judges noted. “Our order is confined only to the nomenclature of such schemes and the publicity materials to be prepared by the government.”
The judges added that the interim order was being passed based on prima facie materials and that the State and the DMK had been issued notices to file counter affidavits. The matter will next be heard on 13 August 2025.
Senior counsel Vijay Narayan, appearing for the petitioner and assisted by advocate K. Gowtham Kumar, argued that the State government was also considering naming other upcoming welfare schemes after living personalities. The Bench observed that such practices appeared prima facie to be impermissible under the Supreme Court’s guidelines in the Common Cause case.
DMK spokespersons responded to the court’s order by questioning the double standards in objections. “If there can be ‘Namo’ and ‘Amma’ schemes, why not ‘Ungaludan Stalin’?” asked a party representative, pointing to similar practices by other political parties.
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami welcomed the ruling, stating, “Stalin is using government machinery for political gain.”
The court also clarified that the pendency of this petition does not prevent the Election Commission of India from acting on the AIADMK MP’s representation seeking action against the DMK under Paragraph 16A of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.
(With inputs from The Hindu)
Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.
