The Supreme Court on Friday said doors of movie halls should not be bolted when the national anthem plays in theatres and exempted differently abled persons from standing up during the anthem, reported ANI. The Bench of justices Dipak Misra and Amitava Roy was clarifying its November 30 ruling that made playing the national anthem in movie halls mandatory before every screening.
The order came after critics pointed out the safety hazard of shutting the exits. Many said that it was the apex court that had banned the locking of theatre doors after a fire at Delhi’s Uphaar Cinema killed 59 people in 1997.
During its November 30 ruling, the apex court had said that the national anthem must be accompanied by the national flag on the screen and everyone in the audience must stand up. The justices had added that the anthem should “not be printed on undesirable objects or be displayed in such a manner and at such places which may be disgraceful to its status and may tantamount to disrespect”. However, the Supreme Court had rejected a petition that sought to make playing the national anthem mandatory in courts.
The court’s ruling had got a mixed response. While the Bharatiya Janata Party had lauded the verdict and said that it will help inculcate a spirit of patriotism among the younger generation, the Congress had raised questions over the implementation. Legal experts like former Attorney General Soli Sorabjee had said that the order was a case of overreach, reported NDTV.
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