Hyderabad: Telangana Rakshana Sena (TRS) chief K. Kavitha has questioned the Election Commission of India (ECI) over objections to her party’s Name, asking why the commission initially approved the name if it was already considered allotted to another political party. Her remarks come amid an ongoing dispute over the use of the “TRS” acronym.
The controversy began after the ECI issued notices to Kavitha’s party following objections from political parties and individuals regarding the use of the abbreviation TRS, which was previously associated with the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, later renamed the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS). The Election Commission subsequently asked Kavitha’s party to suggest alternative names.
Responding to the development, Kavitha’s party argued that it had originally applied with multiple name options and that the Election Commission itself selected “Telangana Rakshana Sena” (TRS) as the approved name during the registration process. The party questioned why the name was allotted if it was already considered problematic.
The party further claimed that the ECI had already permitted it to begin organisational activities under the TRS name, including setting up party structures across all 119 Assembly constituencies in Telangana. It also stated that the commission had previously registered other political parties using the TRS abbreviation, raising questions about the consistency of its decision making.
Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court has directed Kavitha’s party to first respond to the Election Commission’s notices before seeking judicial intervention. The court observed that the party should be given an opportunity to present its arguments before the Election Commission takes a final decision on the party’s name.
Kavitha’s party has said it will submit its reply to the ECI within a week and that she is prepared to personally appear before the commission to explain why the name Telangana Rakshana Sena (TRS) should be retained.
