MP High Court Directs Municipal Corporation to Reinstall National Emblem at Crossing with Proper Dignity

A PIL challenged the removal of the National Emblem at Itwari Bazar, Betul; the Jabalpur bench directed the Municipal Corporation to reinstall it with full respect after construction work is completed.

The High Court of Madhya Pradesh at Jabalpur disposed of a Public Interest Litigation on 12 May 2026 after the Betul Municipal Corporation assured the bench that the National Emblem, temporarily removed from a crossing at Itwari Bazar, would be reinstalled at the same location once ongoing construction work was complete. The Division Bench, led by Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva, recorded the corporation's statement and issued a direction to ensure reinstallation with proper respect and dignity.

The Dispute Before the Court

Petitioner Raman Gothi filed Writ Petition No. 14443 of 2026 as a PIL, contending that the National Emblem installed at the crossing in Itwari Bazar, District Betul, was being removed by the Municipal Corporation without lawful authority.

The petition raised a concern about the manner in which a symbol of national significance was being handled during what appeared to be routine civic construction activity in the area.

The Corporation's Position

Counsel for the Municipal Corporation, respondent No. 3, appearing through Ms. Preeti Pathak, informed the bench that construction work was underway in the area. The corporation submitted that the National Emblem was being removed “carefully with proper dignity” and that it would be replaced at the same location with the same honour and dignity once construction concluded.

The bench took this statement on record.

The Court's Reasoning

Chief Justice Sachdeva, writing for the bench, did not find it necessary to examine the legality of the removal at length once the corporation placed its assurance before the court. The statement that the emblem would be reinstalled at the same spot, with proper respect, was treated as sufficient to resolve the grievance raised in the PIL.

The bench converted the corporation's assurance into a binding direction, ensuring that the commitment made in court would carry enforceable weight.

Outcome

The Division Bench directed the Municipal Corporation to ensure that the National Emblem is re-installed at the Itwari Bazar crossing with proper respect and dignity. The petition was disposed of on 12 May 2026.