The Karnataka High Court dismissed a petition for a separate state flag, stating it lacks jurisdiction on national flag matters. Despite past advocacy and state approval for a design in 2018, the court ruled the issue as resolved and denied further directives.
The Karnataka High Court has dismissed a petition seeking directives for the state government to create a separate state flag for Karnataka. The division bench, led by Chief Justice N.V. Anjaria, passed this ruling after reviewing the public interest litigation filed by Belagavi-based social activist Bhimappa Gadad.
The court observed that the matter of a separate national flag is beyond its jurisdiction. The petitioner had filed the request under a misunderstanding of the court’s scope, and the bench clarified that it was not expressing any opinion on the admissibility of such a petition. Advocate S. Umapathy, representing the petitioner, noted that a similar issue was raised previously when senior journalist Patil Puttappa sent a letter to the state government supporting a distinct flag for Karnataka.
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In 2018, following a report by an expert committee chaired by then-Advocate General Prof. Ravi Varma Kumar, the state cabinet approved a design for a Karnataka state flag. This nine-member committee, formed by government officials and representatives from Yalandur taluk of Chamarajanagar district, included literary figures and activists. After careful consideration, they proposed a flag design featuring the Gandabherunda symbol against yellow, white, and red colours. The state cabinet approved and publicly released the design on March 8, 2018, under the leadership of the then Chief Minister, branding it as the official state flag. However, subsequent developments on the matter have stalled.
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The petitioner argued that Karnataka, as a state within the Indian Union, should have the autonomy to adopt a state flag, citing public support for the initiative. He further noted that the lack of clear regulation has led to confusion as different flags are being hoisted across the state, causing public uncertainty.
In his appeal to the bench, the petitioner urged that only a court directive would allow the state government to move forward on this issue, and without it, public confidence in the judiciary could be affected. However, the court remained unconvinced, asserting that the petitioner had already achieved his objective of publicizing the demand for a state flag. Consequently, the application was dismissed, with the bench asserting that their judgment on the matter was final.