01-08-2025
As CM set to unveil scheme, TN moves HC to modify order on use of Stalin's name
Chennai: State govt has moved Madras high court to modify its order restraining govt from launching any welfare scheme in the name of a living political personality, in conformity with the guidelines set by the Supreme Court.
Though the first bench of the court, headed by Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava, clarified that the state could proceed with the launch of the scheme on Aug 2 while responding to a mention made by advocate-general P S Raman, the state filed a formal petition seeking the modification. The plea is likely to be taken up for hearing on Monday by the first bench.
Chief minister M K Stalin will launch specialty health screening camps, Nalam Kaakkum Stalin, on Saturday from St Bede's Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School in Chennai, additional chief secretary J Radhakrishnan, designated as spokesperson for govt, told reporters on Friday.
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The camp aims to target people above 40 years, particularly those with diabetes, hypertension, heart diseases, and mental health conditions, as well as pregnant women, nursing mothers, people with disabilities, and tribal and marginalised populations through 1,256 high-level health camps across the state.
Specialists from at least 15 departments, such as cardiology, neurology, ophthalmology, ENT, and dermatology, and experts in AYUSH systems, will offer free consultations.
The camp will offer on-site diagnostics, including ECG, ECHO, ultrasound, and X-ray, besides blood tests for early diagnosis of various non-communicable diseases. "Test results will be delivered through WhatsApp," he said. Camps will be organised on all working Saturdays in schools or colleges, Radhakrishnan said.
Earlier in the day, Tamil Nadu govt filed the modificiation plea in the high court saying, "the scheme was introduced in the name of the 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."
The usage of photos of former chief ministers is also not expressly prohibited under the orders passed by the Supreme Court, it added.
All the pamphlets, brochures, health camp application forms, and other related documents for the scheme have been printed and distributed throughout the state for the launch of the scheme, the state said. It added that, in addition to the camps, 800 hospitals have been integrated into the scheme to manage the footfall.
"If the order of the HC is made applicable immediately, the entire scheme will have to be put on hold, and 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," the govt said. The state submitted that the present plea is moved for the limited purpose of seeking clarification from the court so that the same may not be made applicable to the 'Nalam Kaakkum' scheme which is being launched on Aug 2.
The issue pertains to an interim order passed by the court on a plea moved by former law minister C Ve Shanmugam of AIADMK, who alleged that the scheme named after Stalin was in violation of the guidelines set by the Supreme Court and the ECI.
