New Delhi | The Supreme Court on Monday refused to examine a PIL seeking action against political parties for allegedly using flags with the tricolour along with party symbols.

A bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justices K Vinod Chandran and N V Anjaria declined to hear the petition filed by one Sanjay Bhimashankar Thobde, who appeared in person.

The plea said certain political parties have been using flag designs closely resembling the national tricolour in their political campaigns, often replacing the Ashoka Chakra with party symbols.

It also specifically named Congress, the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction), and the Nationalist Congress Party.

The plea said this amounted to a violation of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971.

"Since when are they doing it? Some parties have been doing it since independence," the bench said and rejected the plea.