Supreme Court declines urgent hearing on plea to promote national anthem

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to give an urgent hearing on a plea seeking direction for framing of a policy to promote and propagate the national anthem, national flag and national song.

A bench headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar declined the prayer for urgent hearing.

Advocate Ashwini Upadhyay, who mentioned the matter before the bench, urged that the plea be tagged with the matter pending with the apex court and scheduled for hearing on February 14.

The apex court had on November 30 last year ordered cinema halls across the nation to mandatorily play the National Anthem before screening of a movie and the audience must stand and show respect.

A bench of Justices Dipak Misra and Amitava Roy had observed that the “time has come when citizens must realise they live in a nation and are duty-bound to show respect to National Anthem which is a symbol of constitutional patriotism and inherent national quality.”

It had said that “love and respect for the motherland is reflected when one shows respect to the National Anthem as well as to the National Flag”.

The court had barred printing of the anthem or part of it on any object and displaying it in such a manner at places which may be “disgraceful to its status and tantamount to disrespect”. It had also barred playing or displaying an “abridged version” of the anthem.