Waving black flag, even at CM convoy, not defamatory or illegal: Kerala high court

KOCHI: Kerala high court has ruled that waving or showing a black flag, even at a CM's convoy, does not constitute defamation or an illegal act. Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas said such an act cannot be interpreted as defamatory under Section 499 of IPC. High court reinforced the constitutional right to peaceful protest and rejected the criminalisation of symbolic acts of dissent.

The ruling came as the court quashed a case against Congress workers Simil, Phijo, and Sumesh Dayanandan from North Paravoor in Ernakulam district. Police had charged the trio with waving a black flag at CM's convoy on April 9, 2017, allegedly intending to defame him. tnn.