SC Questions Feasibility of Preventing Candidates with Names of Political Leaders

The Supreme Court, on May 3, questioned the practicality of preventing individuals from contesting elections if their parents had given them names similar to those of popular political leaders. The query came in response to a public interest petition alleging that rival political parties were fielding candidates with names identical to prominent politicians to deceive voters. Justice B.R. Gavai asked how the court could bar someone named ‘Rahul Gandhi’ or ‘Lalu Prasad Yadav’ from participating in elections.

The petitioner’s counsel argued that this practice was aimed at confusing voters and called for amendments to the Representation of People Act. The petition highlighted that such candidates were often sponsored by rival parties, leading to corruption and affecting the will of the people. However, after a brief hearing, the petitioner chose to withdraw the plea.