The Delhi high court on Tuesday allowed two weeks' time for the Centre to respond on a plea to restrain the use of the acronym I.N.D.I.A (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) for the opposition alliance.
During the hearing before a bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the opposition parties said, the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) is "totally not maintainable."
Singhvi also denied the allegations in the plea that opposition parties were using the national flag, saying if someone does so they can be prosecuted under the National Emblems Act.
The court also remarked that the national flag cannot be used.
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Further, the matter was posted for November 22 as the respondents--Centre and opposition parties had not filed their replies in the matter.
The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by one 'activist' Girish Bharadwaj claimed that the alliance “want to take undue advantage" of the country's name for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections-2024.
Referring to opposition leaders including Rahul Gandhi, the petitioner said, the opposition leaders used the "name of our nation and tried to show that the NDA/BJP and Hon'ble Prime Minister Mr. Modi is in conflict with our own nation".
Petitioner claimed that the opposition parties want to take undue advantage in the name of the country and 'create confusion' among the common people.
The Petition mentioned that the use of the India acronym with malicious intent "will only act as a factor for diminishing the goodwill of our great nation i.e., India/Bharat, not only in our country but also on various international platforms."