INDIA Alliance Name Controversy: Delhi HC Seeks Centre, Election Commission’s Stand

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has asked the Centre, Election Commission of India (ECI), and 26 political parties to respond to a petition seeking to restrain opposition parties from using the acronym INDIA for their alliance. The alliance, named Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), was formed by 26 parties during a meeting in Bengaluru on July 17-18, with the aim to challenge the ruling NDA in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

A bench consisting of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Amit Mahajan issued notices to the ministries of Home Affairs and Information and Broadcasting, ECI, and the 26 political parties involved. The court stated that the matter requires a hearing and refused to grant interim relief without hearing the respondents.

The petitioner, Girish Bharadwaj, claimed that leaders and members of 16 of the 26 political parties decided to form the alliance during a meeting in Patna, Bihar on June 23. They later gathered in Bengaluru to announce the name of the alliance as INDIA and prepare strategies for the upcoming elections.

The petition seeks an interim order to stop the use of the acronym INDIA by the political parties and also to prohibit the use of the national flag with the acronym. The petitioner argues that the use of the name INDIA by the alliance may create confusion among the public and seeks to gain an undue advantage in the name of the country.

The political parties named as respondents include the Indian National Congress, All India Trinamool Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Shiv Sena, Samajwadi Party, Communist Party of India (Marxist), and others.

The court has called for a proper hearing of the case before any orders are passed.