Supreme Court rejects petition to restrain opposition alliance from using the term "I.N.D.I.A."

New Delhi: A plea seeking to restrain a political alliance of 26 parties from utilising the term "I.N.D.I.A." (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) as the name for their Opposition coalition has been dismissed by the Supreme Court.

The bench, led by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, declined to entertain the plea, citing that it appeared to be an attempt to garner publicity. In response to the plea, the bench commented, "Who are you? What is your interest? If there is a violation of election norms, go to the Election Commission. You want publicity, complete publicity."

Justice Kaul further asserted, "We are not going to determine morality in politics. It is sad that people waste time on this."

Consequently, as the petitioner requested to withdraw the case, the bench granted the advocate's request and subsequently dismissed the petition.

The plea had initially urged the Press Council of India to enact a regulation that would discourage all media agencies from adopting the term "I.N.D.I.A." as the identity of the Opposition alliance.

The petitioner contended that members of this alliance were employing slogans with the intention of creating a fabricated narrative among the public that the BJP would be opposing the interests of the nation, as represented by "I.N.D.I.A.," in the upcoming elections.

The petitioner sought to curb what they perceived as a misleading propaganda strategy through the utilisation of this term.