Kavitha Questions ECI Over TRS Name Objections, Seeks Transparency

Kalvakuntla Kavitha's newly floated political party, Telangana Rakshana Sena (TRS) , has urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to furnish copies of all objections raised against its proposed name, arguing that a fair decision cannot be taken without allowing the party to examine and respond to the complaints.

The party submitted its response in accordance with the Delhi High Court's July 7 order , which directed it to first pursue the matter before the Election Commission. The ECI had issued a notice after receiving numerous objections to the proposed party name.

In its reply, the party said the Election Commission had granted provisional approval to the name "Telangana Rakshana Sena" on April 28 , following which it established organisational units in nearly 105 Assembly constituencies across Telangana. It claimed the party has already built a significant grassroots presence under the name and warned that any directive to change it at this stage would seriously disrupt its organisational activities and public outreach.

The party also questioned the Commission's handling of the objections. It said the ECI's communication dated June 23 mentioned that nearly 1,000 objections had been received, but copies of those representations were never shared with the party. Without access to the complaints, it argued, there is no way to verify their authenticity or determine whether they are genuine public concerns or politically motivated submissions. It maintained that the Commission should assess the merits of each objection rather than rely solely on the volume of complaints.

Defending its proposed identity, the party asserted that "Telangana Rakshana Sena" is distinct from any existing political organisation registered with the Election Commission. It argued that "Telangana" is the name of a state and "Rakshana" is a commonly used word, neither of which can be exclusively claimed by any political party. It further pointed out that parties such as Telangana Rakshana Samithi (Democratic) and Telangana Rajya Samithi have different names, pronunciations and leadership, making any likelihood of confusion minimal.

Invoking the principles of natural justice , the party requested the Election Commission to provide certified copies of all objections and schedule a personal hearing , enabling it to present its case before a final decision is taken. It argued that such an opportunity is essential to ensure a transparent and legally sound process.

The dispute has its roots in Kavitha's launch of a new political party earlier this year under the abbreviation TRS , the acronym once associated with the Telangana Rashtra Samithi , which was renamed the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in 2022 as part of its national expansion. The similarity prompted objections from multiple individuals and organisations, including the BRS , which contended that retaining the TRS acronym could create confusion among voters. According to reports, the Election Commission has received more than 1,100 objections over the proposed name and had earlier advised Kavitha to consider an alternative that clearly distinguishes the new party from the former TRS.