Highlightsofthecase

CasefiledbyoneSantoshMishraatPSTamnarforflyingthenationalflagatnighton18.10.06

Policefindsnooffenceismadeafterinvestigation

OneRajeshTripathiofsocalledNGOJanchetnafilesacomplaintagainstJPLanditsmanagementunderNationalHonourAct

Thecompanyfilesawritpetitionunderarticle226ofconstitutionofIndia

Theproceedingsinlowercourtwerestayedon03.07.08

Finally,HonbleHighCourtofBilaspurquashestheFIRandcomplaintagainstthecompanyanditsmanagement

PressInformationNote

HighCourtopensthedoorforthecommonmantoflytheTirangaatNight

HonbleHighCourtBilaspurquashescomplaintagainstNaveenJindalandalsoquashestheorderofChiefJudicialmagistrate

Bilaspur,10thAugust,2010InalandmarkJudgementHonbleHighCourtofBilaspurquashedtheFIRandthecomplaintagainstthemanagementofNaveenJindalledJindalPowerLimitedand also quashes the order of Chief Judicialmagistrate, Raigarh, dated 4thMarch 2008 forflyingtheNationalFlagduringnight.ThecourtinitsjudgementsaidthatnotloweringtheflagatnightisnoviolationofthePreventionofInsultstoNationalHonourAct,1971.ThishistoricaljudgementopensthedoorforthecommonmantoflytheTirangaatnight.

Giving the judgement on 9th August 2010, the Honble court said that no citizen can bepunishedon thebasis thathe/shedidnot lower thenational flagduringdusk andhasnotinsulted the dignity and honour of the national flag. Not lowering the flag at night is noviolationofthePreventionofInsultstoNationalHonourAct,1971.TheHonblecourtquashedall the complaints against the management of Jindal and also the orders of Chief Judicialmagistrate,Raigarhdated4.3.2008.

One Mr. Santosh Mishra, resident of Raigarh,ChhattisgarhfiledacomplaintagainstJindalPowerLtdand its management at PS Tamnar stating that theNational Flagwas flying in theNaveen Jindal ownedJindal Power Limited premises after dark at around6.30PM. Itwasalleged that thiswas theviolationofthePreventionofInsultstoNationalHonourAct,1971andalsotheviolationofFlagCode2002.

A case was filed at PS Tamnar on 18.10.2006 underSection 2 of the Prevention of Insults to NationalHonour Act, 1971. But after through investigation itwasfoundbythepolicethatnooffencewasmadeoutand closure report was duly submitted to JMFCGhargodavideno.1/2007,26.06.07.

Inthemeanwhile,anothercomplaintwasfiledbyoneRajesh Tripathi, S/o Mr. Kamla Prasad Tripathi,representativeofsocalledNGOJanchetnaagainstthecompany and its ExecutiveDirector,Mr.D P SaraogiOn 05.01.08 alleging that there has been offencecommitted u/s 2 of the Prevention of Insults toNational Honour Act, 1971 read with section 153A,295Aand268OfIPC.

Jindal Power Limited through its counsel Mr. SatishChandraDutt and SatishVerma filed for quashing ofthe criminal proceedings under Article 226 on 01.07.2008. On 3rd July 2008 Honble highstopped theproceedingsof lowercourt. Takingnoteof thematterHonbleHighCourthasfinallyquashedtheFIRandtheComplaintstatingthat,notloweringdowntheflagatnightisnotviolativeoftheFlagCodeofIndiaandhence,boththeFIRaswellasthecomplaintagainstJPLanditsmanagementisherebyquashed.

ItmaybenotedherethatJPLisasubsidiaryofJindalSteelandPowerLimitedheadedbyShriNaveenJindal.

AfteralmostadecadelonglegalbattleinitiatedbyShriNaveenJindalonbehalfofthepeopleofIndiatogivethemtherighttohoisttheNationalFlagpublically,theHonbleSupremeCourt

2 gavethelandmarkjudgmentin2004sayingthateverycitizenofthecountryhastherighttoflythe

National flag with respect, dignity and honor thus becomingafundamentalrightofeverycitizen.ThedecisionpromptedtheCentralGovernmenttoamendtheNationalFlagCode.

InDecember,2009theyoungMemberofParliamentandoneofthe leading industrialistsofthecountryShriNaveenJindalgottheFlagCodeonceagainamendedandsecuredpermissiontoflytheNationalFlagevenduringnighthours.PriortoDecember,2009flyingoftheNationalFlagduringnightwasnormallynotallowed. Flagmountedon100ftandabovehighflagpolecouldbeflownevenduringnightswhenadequatelyilluminated.

BasedonacampaignofShriNaveenJindal,TheLokSabhaon18thFebruary,2010decidedtoallowMembersofParliamenttowearLapelPinsdisplayingtheNationalFlagontheirpersonintheaugustHouse.ItmaysurprisemanytoknowthataccordingthetoRuleNo.349(XIV)oftheRulesofProcedureandConductofBusinessintheLokSabhaMembersoftheParliamentwerenotallowedtowearbadgesofanykindwhileseatedintheHouse.

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