Courts Should Not Be Used To Settle Scores Between Political Parties; Fight Political Battles Before Electorate : Supreme Court

The Supreme Court today (August 6) reiterated that political parties cannot use the Courts to fight their political battles. A bench comprising Chief Justice of India BR Gavai, Justice K Vinod Chandran and Justice NV Anjaria observed while hearing the petitions filed by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party as well as the Tamil Nadu Government against the Madras High Court's interim order which had restrained the use of the name of Chief Minister MK Stalin for a government welfare scheme. The High Court passed the order in a PIL filed by AIADMK MP C.Ve Shanmugham, who belonged to the opposition.The Court was critical of the conduct of the AIADMK MP in singling out only the scheme of the TN Government in his challenge when such schemes in the names of leaders were common across the country. The Court noted the submission of DMK that during the term of AIADMK, several schemes were carried out in the name of leaders.While setting aside the interim order of the High Court, the bench once again reiterated that the Court cannot be used as a means to fight political battles by political parties. The CJI, in his order, observed : " Time and again, we have observed that political battles should be fought before the electorate and courts should not be used to settle the political scores between the political parties." The Court proceeded to quash the impugned order and directed that Shanmugam deposit 10 Lakh Rupees as costs with the state government within a week. The said cost is to be utilised for any of the beneficial schemes floated for the underprivileged in the state.The bench further ordered that, in the event of the respondent's failure to deposit the sum within one week, contempt proceedings may be initiated against him. Previous Instances Where Supreme Court Emphasised Political Parties Not To Weaponise The Courts The CJI has in the past stressed the need not to use courts as a political battleground by political parties. On July 21, the bench of CJI BR Gavai and Justice K Vinodchandran refused to entertain a challenge to the quashing of a criminal case filed against Karnataka BJP MP Tejasvi Surya for allegedly spreading fake news about a farmer's suicide. The bench, while dismissing the petition, cautioned against politicising legal matters before the Court. CJI expressed :"What is this? Don't politicise the matter. Fight your battles before the electorate. Dismissed with costs...."Incidentally, on the same day, the bench of CJI BR Gavai and Justices K Vinod Chandran, NV Anjaria, while hearing a plea seeking criminal contempt against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, cautioned against politicising matters before the Court.Here, the bench was considering a petition which sought the initiation of criminal contempt against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over her remarks on the Apex Court's ruling in the teachers' recruitment scam case.The CJI remarked, "Don't try to politicise before the court; your political battle, you should fight somewhere else."On the same day, the Court questioned the Enforcement Directorate, asking why was it being used for political battles. The CJI-led bench made the scathing observation while dismissing ED's plea against Karnataka CM's wife in relation to the MUDA scam case.Also read : Supreme Court Quashes HC Order Banning Use Of CM Stalin's Name For TN Govt Scheme; Imposes Rs 10 Lakh Cost On AIADMK MP Who Challenged ItCase Details : DRAVIDA MUNNETRA KAZHAGAM Vs THIRU. C.VE. SHANMUGAM | SLP(C) No. 21487/2025

Courts Should Not Be Used To Settle Scores Between Political Parties; Fight Political Battles Before Electorate : Supreme Court

Anmol Kaur Bawa

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