The Ernakulam Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Court on Saturday adjourned to December 1, the framing of charges against Union Minister of State for Human Resource Development Shashi Tharoor in the disrespect to the national anthem case.
The Magistrate has initiated proceedings against Tharoor on a complaint filed by Joy Kaitharath, general secretary, State Human Rights Protection Centre. Kaitharath had alleged that Tharoor had interrupted the national anthem after a public lecture in Kochi. The minister took a microphone from the table and directed the audience to stand in the manner people do in the US with their right palm placed on their chest, instead of the attention posture followed by Indians so far.
The Magistrate Court had found that there was prima facie evidence to proceed with the complaint that Tharoor had committed offence under Section 3 of the Prevention of Insult to National Honour Act, 1977, enacted to prohibit desecration or insult to the country’s national anthem.
However, further proceedings in the case were stayed by the Kerala High Court.