OCTOBER 25, 2024 — The Karnataka High Court in India dismissed a petition on Friday seeking the official adoption of a state flag for Karnataka, stating that such matters do not fall within the court’s jurisdiction or public interest, reports Vartha Bharati.
“The petition is misconceived and dismissed,” the Justices ruled, adding that grievances of this nature are not suitable for judicial intervention.
Advocate Umapathi S, representing the petition, argued that the Indian Constitution does not prohibit states from having their own flags. He pointed out that Karnataka’s unofficial red-and-yellow “Kannada flag” has been flown since the 1960s, but its unrecognized status has led to public confusion, according to reports by News 18.
Designed by Veera Senani Ma Ramamurthy, the red-and-yellow Kannada flag symbolizes a call for greater autonomy within the state. A separate design was also proposed in 2018, when then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah established a panel to examine the legal viability of an official state flag.
Currently, no Indian state has an official state flag.
Image: The Times of India