The Supreme Court will hear on July 14 a plea seeking directions to the Centre and the Election Commission to take effective steps to prevent any political party or religious group from using the national flag for “partisan or religious purposes”.
The plea has also sought directions to the authorities concerned to strictly enforce provisions of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, and the Flag Code of India, 2002, to ensure that the national flag was treated with utmost respect. The petition would come up for hearing before a bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justices K Vinod Chandran and N V Anjaria.
“Issue an appropriate writ, order or direction to the respondents, particularly the Union of India and the Election Commission of India, to take immediate and effective steps to prevent any political party or religious group from using the national flag for partisan or religious purposes, including but not limited to placing party logos, religious symbols or texts on the national flag,” said one of the prayers made in the plea. The plea also urges the court to issue guidelines for the respectful display and use of the national flag in political events. It argues that misuse of the flag undermines its sanctity and national unity.