Kavitha's Party Seeks Personal Hearing, Challenges ECI Registration Process

Kalvakuntla Kavitha-led Telangana Rakshana Sena (TRS) has submitted its response to the Election Commission of India (ECI) regarding a notice on its party registration. The party has sought a personal hearing before the Commission, requesting that copies of objections to its proposed name be provided.

In its response, the TRS questioned the procedure adopted by the ECI while dealing with objections and urged a fair and transparent registration process. The party argued that the name 'Telangana Rakshana Sena' has gained widespread public recognition through grassroots activities, and changing it at this stage would disrupt organisational work.

The response noted that the ECI's communication dated June 23 referred to nearly 1,000 objections against the name, but copies were not provided, preventing an effective response. The TRS maintained that the number of objections alone should not be the basis for rejection, urging the Commission to examine the authenticity and legal merit of each objection to determine if they are genuine or politically motivated.

The TRS contended that no registered political party currently bears the name 'Telangana Rakshana Sena', and the words 'Telangana' and 'Rakshana' are generic and descriptive terms. It argued that its proposed name is not deceptively similar to any existing party, noting that the registered names 'Telangana Rakshana Samithi (Democratic)' and 'Telangana Rajya Samithi' are distinct in composition and public perception.

The party also questioned why 'Telangana Rakshana Samithi' was permitted registration in 2024 despite the prior registration of 'Telangana Rajya Samithi' in 2023 if similarity alone were grounds for objection. It cited precedents of multiple variants like 'Aam Aadmi' and 'Praja Sena' parties to argue that similarity in nomenclature should not be a sole ground for denying registration.