SC sets aside Madras HC order asking DMK govt not to use names, photos of CM's in welfare schemes

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday quashed a Madras high court order that had restrained the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government from using names and photographs of present and former chief ministers in welfare schemes.A bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justices K Vinod Chandran and N V Anjaria also imposed a cost of Rs 10 lakh on AIADMK leader C Ve Shanmugam for filing the petition in the Madras High Court.The apex court observed that the plea challenging the use of the chief minister’s name in Tamil Nadu's welfare schemes was "unwarranted" and amounted to "abuse of process of the law".Earlier, the Madras High Court on July 31 had restrained the Tamil Nadu government from naming any new or rebranded public welfare schemes after living persons.It had further prohibited the use of portraits of former chief ministers, ideological leaders, or any Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) insignia, emblem, or flag in advertisements promoting such schemes.The order was passed by a division bench comprising Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice Sunder Mohan while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by AIADMK MP C Ve Shanmugam.Shanmugam had moved the High Court challenging the naming and promotion of the state’s public outreach initiative titled 'Ungaludan Stalin' (With You, Stalin), arguing that it went against established norms.While passing the order, the high court had clarified that the ruling did not prevent the Tamil Nadu government from launching, implementing, or operating any welfare schemes.It had, however, stated that the restrictions would apply specifically to the “nomenclature and promotional content associated with such schemes”.