New Delhi | The Supreme Court on Wednesday set aside a Madras High Court order asking the DMK government not to use names and photographs of present and former chief ministers in welfare schemes.

A bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justices K Vinod Chandran and N V Anjaria imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh on AIADMK leader C Ve Shanmugam for filing plea in Madras High Court.

The top court said the plea against using name of CM on Tamil Nadu's welfare schemes was unwarranted and abuse of process of the law.

The Madras High Court on July 31 restrained the Tamil Nadu government from naming any new or rebranded public welfare schemes after living persons.

It also barred the use of portraits of former chief ministers, ideological leaders, or any Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) insignia, emblem, or flag in advertisements promoting such schemes.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice Sunder Mohan passed the order while hearing a PIL filed by Shanmugam.

The MP had challenged the naming and promotion of the government's public outreach programme titled Ungaludan Stalin' (With You, Stalin), alleging that it violated established norms.

While the bench clarified that the order did not prevent the state from launching, implementing, or operating any welfare schemes, it stated the restrictions applied solely to the nomenclature and promotional content associated with such schemes.