Mysore/Mysuru: With Republic Day celebrations just days away, MCC Commissioner G. Lakshmikantha Reddy has banned use of plastic flags during the celebration.

Presiding over a Republic Day preparatory meeting at the Deputy Commissioner’s Office here on Thursday, Lakshmikantha Reddy directed the officials to ensure that plastic flags are not used at the Republic Day celebration to take place at Bannimantap torch-light parade grounds  on Jan. 26.

Pointing out that school children should not be brought to the celebrations in the wake of COVID pandemic, he said that the celebration must be restricted to Police parade only.

Maintaining that there will be no cultural programmes, he said that the District Minister will unfurl the flag and receive the Guard of Honour from the Police. He also directed the officials for strict enforcement of COVID appropriate behaviour and to follow COVID protocol.

National Voters Day on Jan. 25

Continuing, Lakshmikantha Reddy said that National Voters Day will be celebrated at the MCC Auditorium at 10 am on Jan. 25, by following all COVID guidelines. Young voters who were en-rolled in the voter list will be distributed voter ID cards symbolically and the National Voters Day oath will be administered. Principal District and Sessions Court Judge M.L. Raghunath will be invited for the event, he added.

MCC Deputy Commissioner M.K. Savitha, Zilla Panchayat Deputy Secretary Prem Kumar, CAR DCP Shivaraju, Kannada and Culture Assistant Director H. Channappa and others were present at the meeting.