- The Delhi High Court has issued a notice against using the acronym I.N.D.I.A as the Opposition’s official name.
- The notice was issued to 26 political parties and the Election Commission of India following a petition filed by an activist.
- The activist stated that the name is violating Sections 2 and 3 of The Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act 1950.
- The plea further states that the opposition parties are also using our 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.
- It stated that the ECI has “miserably failed” to take any action or condemn the selfish act of the respondent in any manner whatsoever despite the representation made by the petitioner.
The Delhi High Court has issued a notice against using the acronym I.N.D.I.A as the Opposition’s official name. The notice was issued to 26 political parties and the Election Commission of India following a petition filed by activist Girish Bharadwaj through advocate Vaibhav Singh.
A Bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Amit Mahajan issued notices to the ministries of Home Affairs and Information and Broadcasting, ECI, and 26 political parties on the petition, saying that the matter needs to be heard.
The plea stated that I.N.D.I.A, the acronym for Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, is being used by the Opposition for their “selfish act” and that it may “adversely affect the peaceful, transparent and fair casting of votes during the upcoming general elections of 2024”.
Bharadwaj further stated that the name is violating Sections 2 and 3 of The Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act 1950. The name I.N.D.I.A is creating confusion among citizens about the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections and whether they would be fought between NDA and the country INDIA, the plea added.
The plea further states that the opposition parties are also using our 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 which may lead to political hatred which eventually will lead to political violence.
“The respondent political parties are using the acronym India with malicious intent which will only act as a factor for diminishing the goodwill of our great nation i.e., India/Bharat, not only in our country but also on various international platforms,” the plea read.
It stated that the ECI has “miserably failed” to take any action or condemn the selfish act of the respondent in any manner whatsoever despite the representation made by the petitioner.
Last month, BJP wrote a letter to the Election Commission of India against the renaming of UPA to INDIA, which is short for Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance. BJP leader and advocate Ashutosh Dubey said that the erstwhile United Progressive Alliance (UPA) has renamed itself to India to “use the name of our nation as a mere tool to gain power.”
(With inputs from agencies)
