Message 67676 - Python tracker
Rationale for banning f(*,**k): it could represent a bug (intended bare name(s) omitted) that should be flagged, a lack of clear understanding of the redundancy, or a somewhat unPythonic stylistic preference for useless redundancy. I consider the first the most likely in practice, though I also did not see the redundancy at first. Guido has used the 'likely a bug' rationale for other design decisions.