The Supreme Court of India has set aside a Madras High Court order that had barred the Tamil Nadu government from using the names and images of current and former Chief Ministers in advertisements for welfare schemes.
The bench, comprising Chief Justice BR Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran, delivered the verdict, granting major relief to the ruling DMK government.
Supreme Court Overturns Madras HC Ban on Use of Leaders’ Photos in Schemes
The apex court overturned the Madras High Court’s ban on naming welfare schemes after living leaders or using their images.
The Supreme Court also imposed a ₹10 lakh fine on AIADMK leader and MP CV Shanmugam, who had filed the original petition in the High Court.
In its judgment, the Supreme Court strongly criticised the misuse of the judicial system for political battles. The bench stated that such disputes must be resolved at the ballot box and not in courtrooms.
The court observed that political figures have lent their names to nearly 45 welfare schemes across India, emphasising that this practice is common.
The Madras High Court had earlier ruled in favour of the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by CV Shanmugam.
The petition targeted the Ungaludan Stalin scheme, a flagship welfare initiative of the DMK government.
The petition further alleged that naming the scheme after Chief Minister MK Stalin amounted to political propaganda.
The High Court had clarified that its ban only applied to the use of names and promotional materials, not to the schemes themselves. It had also instructed the state not to launch any new or rebranded schemes under the names of living individuals.
With the Supreme Court setting aside the High Court’s ruling, the Tamil Nadu government is now free to continue using the names and images of current and past leaders in its welfare program promotions, within legal and ethical boundaries.
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