Supreme Court Stays Madras HC Order Restraining 'Stalin With You' Scheme, Says Displaying Leaders' Photos in Schemes is Commonplace.
Tamilnadu: In a significant decision, the Supreme Court overturned an order by the Madras High Court that had restrained the Tamil Nadu government from using the 'Stalin With You' digital scheme and the photographs of former Chief Ministers. The Supreme Court stated that the judiciary should not be used for political battles in such matters.
What is the Case?
'Stalin With You' in Tamil Nadu is a digital interface through which citizens can access various government services on a single platform. It is not an independent scheme but rather a medium for digitally delivering numerous government services to the public.
Former Chief Minister and AIADMK MP C.V. Shanmugam filed a petition objecting to the scheme. He termed the use of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin's photograph and name in promotional materials as inappropriate and a means of political gain. The Madras High Court imposed an interim stay on this, banning the promotion of the scheme.
Supreme Court's Strong Remarks
The Supreme Court bench, comprising Chief Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran, overturned the Madras High Court's order, clarifying that the use of leaders' names and photographs in such schemes is not a new phenomenon. The Court said that almost every state government uses photographs and names of political figures in the promotion of its schemes.
The Court also stated that the petitioner's intention appeared to be targeting only one political leader and that this could not be a basis for judicial intervention. The court stated sternly that courts should not be used to fight political battles.
Mukul Rohatgi Presents Government's Case
Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the Tamil Nadu government, stated that 'Stalin With You' is not a new welfare scheme but a digital platform that collectively makes several state schemes accessible to citizens.
He also said that there is no legal restriction on naming a scheme or platform after a political leader or using their photographs. No such restriction has been mentioned in any previous Supreme Court rulings either.
This Practice is Common Across the Country
The court clarified that this practice is not limited to Tamil Nadu. Governments in many states across the country use the names and photographs of their leaders in the promotion of schemes. In such a situation, selectively taking action against only one state or one leader cannot be called fair.
Reprimand to the Petitioner
The Court reprimanded MP C.V. Shanmugam, who filed the petition, stating that he was objecting to the scheme of only one particular party and the promotion of one leader, while the same practice is followed in other states as well. The court said that doing so amounts to an abuse of the court.
