Plea in SC seeks ban on green crescent-star flags

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday sought Centre’s response on a petition by Uttar Pradesh Shia Waqf Board seeking a ban on the green flag with crescent and star that resembles with the flag of Pakistan’s political party Muslim League.

Asking the petitioner Syed Waseem Rizvi to serve a copy of the petition on solicitor general’s office, a top court bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi asked the Centre to file its response in two weeks time.

Senior counsel Satya Prakas Singh who appeared for the petitioner Syed Waseem Rizvi — the head of Uttar Pradesh Shia Waqf Board — said that they have asked to serve the copy of the petition to solicitor general and Centre would file its response in two weeks time.

By its July 16, 2018, order while seeking response from the Centre in two weeks, the top court had asked  senior advocate Singh to handover the copy of the petition to then additional solicitor general Tushar Mehta later elevated as solicitor general.

The petitioner Rizvi has taken exception the green flag with crescent and star hoisted atop certain buildings and mosques, which he has argued, could be cause of ill-will amongst the people. He has also contended that the green flag with crescent and star has never been a part of Islamic practice.