SC notice to cricket board on spectators carrying Indian flag

The Supreme Court Monday issued notice to the Indian cricket board, the Cricket Association of Bengal and others on a plea seeking strict enforcement of laws to prevent spectators from showing disrespect to the national flag during matches.

Petitioner Kamal Dey, an editor of a Bengali newspaper, sought the strict observance of the statutory directions enumerated in "The Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, Flag Code of India, 2002 and other provisions of the constitution to check alleged slippage in display of the national flag by the spectators during cricket matches.

The apex court bench of Chief Justice P. Sathasivam and Justice R.P. Desai issued notice to the Board of Control for Cricket in India and Kolkata Police, among others, returnable in four weeks.

Dey challenged an order of the Calcutta High Court which dismissed his petition earlier.

The high court held that carrying of the national flag by the spectators during international cricket matches was an expression of national pride and their intention was not to show any disrespect to the flag.

The high court said any slippage by the spectators in stadium were not intentional.

Dey moved the court with a complaint alleging that disrespect was shown to the national flag during a December 2012 cricket match between India and England and a match between India and Pakistan in January in Kolkata.