TN govt files plea over nomenclature for state schemes, Madras HC posts hearing to Aug 7

Chennai, August 4 (PTI) The Tamil Nadu government has submitted in the Madras High Court that the order relating to nomenclatures for state schemes, if made applicable immediately, may lead to putting an entire scheme on hold.

The government made the submission in a petition seeking to modify an earlier Madras HC order so as to permit the Tamil Nadu government's 'Ungaladun Stalin' and 'Nalam Kaakum Stalin' schemes to be implemented with its present nomenclatures.

The court on Monday posted to August 7 the hearing on this petition seeking modification to the HC directive.

The first bench comprising Chief Justice M M Shrivatsava and Justice Sunder Mohan had on July 31, 2025 directed the state government that while launching and operating government welfare schemes through various advertisements, the name of any living personality, photograph of any former Chief Minister/ideological leaders or party insignia/emblem/flag of DMK shall not be included.

The bench had passed the interim order on the petitions filed by AIADMK MP C Ve Shanmugam and advocate Iniyan. The state government filed the present modification petition, seeking certain clarification.

When the petition came up for hearing, senior counsel Vijay Narayan submitted that against the interim order of this court, at the instance of DMK party, a mention was made before the Supreme Court and it will be listed the day after tomorrow.

The bench said once the order has been challenged, "We will not pass any further order now".

Senior counsel Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for the state government submitted that it has not filed any appeal before the Supreme Court. Moreover, if the court makes a clarification on the modification petition filed by the State government, the matter ends, he added.

The bench said, "We can defer it for two days. You must realise our predicament. We will post the matter to Thursday." Senior counsel Vijay Narayan said despite the court order, the state government went ahead with the function on August 2.

In her modification petition, Public Secretary Reeta Harish Thakkar submitted that this court had ruled that it would be impermissible to name any living political personality of the nomenclature of the scheme and also not use the name of any living person in the advertisements of the government welfare scheme.

The scheme has been introduced in the name Chief Minister of the State, who is a constitutional authority and it cannot be construed to have been introduced in the name of a political personality.

She said the actual G.O pursuant to the 'Nalam Kaakum Stalin' scheme was issued way back on June 3, 2025.

The scheme inter alia provides for extensive medical benefits and health checkups across the state. All the pamphlets, brochures, the health camp, application form, and other related documents for the scheme have been printed and distributed throughout the State. The scheme was launched on August 2.

She said if the order of this court was made applicable immediately, the entire scheme will have to be put on hold because every material which has been published thus far will have to be redone, which will take several weeks and all the arrangements made thus far will go to waste.

Since the petitioners have chosen to move the court at the 11th hour, making the injunction a great hardship and prejudice to the State and larger public interest will suffer, she added. PTI COR VGN VGN ROH