The Supreme Court today dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking a ban on political parties using flags resembling the national Tricolour with their party symbols.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India BR Gavai, Justice K Vinod Chandran and Justice NV Anjaria was hearing the plea filed by a petitioner in person, who argued that parties like the Indian National Congress were violating the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act by using flags similar to the national flag but replacing the Ashoka Chakra with their symbols for political campaigns.
“Some parties are putting their symbol on the national flag…the Congress arty has been doing this,” the petitioner submitted.
However, the CJI dismissed the plea outright, observing, “Since when are they doing it? Some parties are doing it before Independence. Dismissed.”
The plea had specifically named the Indian National Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) as respondents, along with the Election Commission of India and the Union government.
