A district court in Uttar Pradesh has issued a notice to the Prime Minister’s Office over the Indian Army uniform that PM Modi wore last year on his visit to Kashmir. The observation came after a plea was filed at the court in Prayagraj that stated that wearing garb or carrying token used by soldier, sailor or airman is an offence punishable under Section 140 of the Indian Penal Code.

According to a report in Dainik Bhaskar, district judge Nalin Kumar Srivastava issued the notice hearing arguments of advocate Rakesh Nath Pandey, who had moved the application under section 156(3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (which empowers Magistrate to order investigation into a cognizable offence).

The application was first filed by Pandey last year in December when chief judicial magistrate Harendra Nath had rejected it saying that the incident did not take place within the jurisdiction of the court and the matter can be heard by a magistrate having jurisdiction.

The order was challenged by Pandey before the district judge who has now issued notice to PMO. The court will now hear the matter on March 2.

Last year, PM Modi had celebrated Diwali with the soldiers at Nowshera sector in Jammu and Kashmir. Addressing the soldiers on the occasion of Diwali at Nowshera, the prime minister highlighted government’s attempts to boost indigenous capabilities and noted that modern border infrastructure has been built to augment connectivity and troop deployment.

“I have spent each Diwali with soldiers guarding our borders. Today, I have brought along with me the blessings of crores of Indians for our soldiers here," PM Modi had said.

Our soldiers are the ‘Suraksha Kawach’ of ‘Maa Bharti’. It is because of you all that people of our country can sleep peacefully and there is happiness during festivals," he added.

Lauding the efforts of the soldiers in the surgical strike, PM Modi had said that many attempts were made to spread terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir but they were given a befitting reply.