The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear the Tamil Nadu government’s appeal against a Madras High Court order that barred the use of names and photographs of serving and former chief ministers in public welfare schemes.
A bench led by Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai, along with Justice K. Vinod Chandran, scheduled the matter for hearing on August 6 after senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the DMK-led state government, argued that the high court’s interim order went against previous Supreme Court rulings permitting such usage.
Rohatgi contended that the apex court had earlier upheld the legality of using names and portraits of incumbent chief ministers in welfare scheme promotions, and the High Court’s restrictions were legally untenable.
The controversy stems from a July 31 order of the Madras High Court, which directed the Tamil Nadu government not to name any newly launched or rebranded welfare schemes after living individuals. The court also prohibited the display of portraits of former chief ministers, ideological leaders, and any symbols or emblems associated with the ruling DMK party in promotional materials.
The high court’s ruling came in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by AIADMK MP C. Ve Shanmugam, who objected to the government’s outreach initiative titled Ungaludan Stalin (With You, Stalin), calling it a misuse of public platforms for political promotion.
Clarifying its position, the Madras High Court emphasized that it did not intend to obstruct the implementation of welfare schemes, but only sought to ensure that such programmes were not used for political glorification or personal branding.
The Supreme Court will now examine the constitutional and legal questions surrounding the issue when it takes up the case on Wednesday.
