Constitutional expert ridicules controversy over J&K flag

Jammu, March 14: A constitutional and legal expert on Saturday ridiculed the controversy triggered by the withdrawal of a circular, issued by the Jammu and Kashmir government, pertaining to the respect and honour to be accorded to the J&K flag. Since Jammu and Kashmir is the only state in the country that has a constitution of its own, and which is applicable to the state concomitantly with the Indian constitution, J&K also has a state flag which is hoisted along with the national flag here. Zafar Shah, a leading advocate of J&K who pleads constitutional/legal matters in the high court and the Supreme Court, told IANS: "The entire controversy surrounding the state flag is ill-conceived and triggered perhaps by lack of knowledge." The state government on Friday withdrew an executive order issued by it a couple of days earlier regarding the honour and respect to be shown to the state flag. On Thursday, the state general administration department issued a circular that constitutional authorities be asked to fly the state flag on their official cars, offices and buildings. Later, the circular was withdrawn by the government which said that it had not been approved by the competent authority.