Petition against Aamir Khan's TV show 'Satyameva Jayate' dismissed

The Bombay High Court dismissed a petition filed against actor Aamir Khan's show ‘Satyameva Jayate' yesterday, stating that the usage of the motto is not in gross violation of the Emblem act.

Aamir Khan in an episode of Satyameva Jayate

In the order that would bring a major relief to the actor, also the host of the show and the broadcasting channel Star India, the bench of Justice Abhay Oka and Justice A A Sayed quashed the argument put up by the lawyer representing petitioner Manoranjan Roy, who said that the usage of the motto should be prohibited as that attracts violation under the Act.

Additional solicitor general Anil Singh who appeared for Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Broadcasting told the bench that the show has only used the motto and not the whole emblem that consists of elephant, lion, galloping horse and the dharma chakra.

The bench then clarified that "Use of emblem as a whole is specifically prohibited under the Act. Use of the motto is not."

"There is no merit in the petition to show that the programme's logo/name is an imitation of the Emblem. Hence sections 3 and 4 of the Emblems And Names (Prevention Of Improper Use) Act, 1950 are not attracted," the court said.