The Delhi High Court has requested responses from the Centre, Election Commission of India, and 26 political parties to a petition aimed at stopping opposition parties from using the acronym I.N.D.I.A. (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) for their alliance.
This opposition bloc, comprising 26 parties, was announced during a meeting in Bengaluru, Karnataka on July 17-18. The alliance plans to contest against the ruling NDA in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Amit Mahajan issued notices to the Ministries of Home Affairs and Information and Broadcasting, the ECI, and the involved 26 political parties, saying that the matter needs to be heard.
However, the court refused to grant any interim relief at this stage, emphasising that no orders can be passed without hearing the respondents.
Petitioner Girish Bharadwaj stated that leaders and members from 16 out of the 26 political parties named in the petition gathered in Patna, Bihar on June 23, to form an alliance for the 2024 general election. They later convened in Bengaluru to finalise their strategies and choose the alliance’s name and convener.
The petition states that these political parties met in Bengaluru on July 17 to further shape their strategies for the 2024 general election, and the name “INDIA” was announced for the alliance.
The plea seeks an interim order to stop the use of the “INDIA” acronym by the political parties and also to prohibit the respondent political alliance from using the national flag with the “INDIA” acronym.
The petition references statements by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, alleging that by using the nation’s name, they intended to cause confusion and present a conflict between the NDA/BJP and the country. The petitioner contends that the respondent political parties aim to gain undue advantage by fostering this confusion.
Initially, the petitioner approached the Election Commission of India (ECI) with a representation, but when no action was taken, he resorted to the current petition before the High Court.
The respondent political parties listed in the petition include the Indian National Congress, All India Trinamool Congress, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Aam Aadmi Party, Janata Dal (United), Rashtriya Janata Dal, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar), Shiv Sena (UBT), Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Lok Dal, and Apna Dal (Kamerawadi).
Also listed as respondents are the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Konganadu Makkal Desia Katchi (KMDK), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, and Indian Union Muslim League.
Finally, the 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) have also been named as respondent parties.