Flag Code of India : Everything you should know [UPSC]

In this article, we will discuss the Flag Code of India in a simple and easy way, and try to understand its various important aspects;

Like when the flag is half-masted, how the flag should be flown, how the flag is insulted, etc., then definitely read the article till the end. You will get to know a lot new.

Read other related articles and get benefitted. And don’t forget to share this article to your friends and family. 💡 Social and Politics

| Background of Flag Code of India

The flag is of any country, it is the pride of the country and if we talk about India in that too; Where the respect of the flag is considered the honor of the country. So it becomes even more important that people keep their behavior towards the flag respectful.

Law is a suitable mechanism by which respect for the flag can be ensured. Keeping this in mind, a guideline called the Indian Flag Code was issued in 2002, which discusses in detail about the public and private use of the flag etc.

Here one thing may come to your mind that if it was made in 2002, was there no law or guidelines related to it before that? 

It is important to understand here that 2 Acts related to this were already in existence: Emblem and Name (Prevention of Improper Use) Act 1950 and Prevention of Insults to National Pride Act 1971.

Apart from this, in the fundamental duty in 1976, respect for the flag has been said, then the question comes that when all this was already there, then what was the need to bring the Indian Flag Code?

In fact, things were not very clear due to different laws. For example, this law used to tell that if someone insults the national flag or uses national symbols in a wrong way, then what are the punishments he can get, but this law did not tell how the flag should be used. Should it be hoisted or what is the correct way of hoisting the flag, etc.

This was the reason that the Indian Flag Code was brought. So that all the laws, traditions or instructions related to the flag are present in one place.

| How Indian Flag Code came into existence?

You must have heard the name of Naveen Jindal. He is a entrepreneur and leader. (Has been a Lok Sabha MP and member of many parliamentary committees during the Congress rule)

He got a lot of fame after Colgate scam because his name was also involved in this scam. But the man has also done some good work.

In fact, it happened that in the 1990s, after returning to India after doing MBA from America, during his stay there, he had seen that you can use the American flag in any way you want at your discretion.

That is why after returning to India in 1992, he put up a big flag in his factory located in Raigad (Chhattisgarh). 

But the commissioner of Bilaspur ordered not to hoist the flag saying that it is illegal by law to hoist the flag in private except on a particular day.

Then the man put a petition in the High Court that how can any law prevent any citizen of India from hoisting the flag? Then this thing jumped very loudly and went very far i.e. in the Supreme Court.

In 2002, on the orders of the Supreme Court, the then government issued the Indian Flag Code after the matter was stuck in the court for almost 10 years. 

| What is Flag Foundation of India?

After that Naveen Jindal founded a non-governmental organization called Flag Foundation of India, which is famous for putting up big flags in big cities. 

The big flag which is installed in Cannaught Place of Delhi has been put up by Flag Foundation of India. You can see this picture below.

| Indian flag code

The Flag Code of India has been divided into 3 parts for convenience.

In the first part a general description of the flag is given.
In the second part, the rules for hoisting the flag by the general public, private organizations and educational institutions have been given and, in the
third part, the rules for hoisting the flag by the government or government agencies have been given.

Let us try to know the most important provision of each part,

| General description of the Indian flag

The flag size ratio will always be 3:2. That is, if the length of the flag is 6 feet, then the width of the flag will definitely be 4 feet.

The top stripe of the flag will always be of saffron color, the lowest stripe will always be of green color and the middle stripe will always be of white color. Inside that white band will be a blue circle with 24 sesame seeds.

The flag should be made of wool, cotton, khadi or silk and the quality of the cloth should meet the standards set by the Bureau of Indian Standards (especially when it is to be flown officially).

| Rules for hoisting the flag by the general public, private organizations and educational institutions

The flag shall not be used as part of any dress or uniform, nor shall it be embroidered or printed on pillows, handkerchiefs, napkins or dress materials.

No letters will be written on the flag. [G]

The flag shall not be used as a basis for taking, giving, holding or carrying anything. Yes, but there would be no objection to placing rose petals in the flag on an occasion like Independence Day.

The flag shall not be used to cover any statue or monument. [G]

The flag shall neither be used to cover the speaker’s table nor to wrap it over the stage. [G]

• If the flag is flown on a speaker’s meeting stage, it should be raised so that the flag is to the right of the speaker when the speaker is facing the audience, or the flag should be placed behind and above the speaker in a board position along the wall. should be hoisted. [G]
• When the flag is hoisted against a wall, in the plinth position, the saffron portion should be at the top and when it is raised vertically, the saffron portion will be on the right side of the flag (i.e. for the person looking from the front). will be on the left) [G]

The flag shall not be intentionally allowed to touch the ground or floor or be submerged in water.

The flag shall not be used to cover the top, side or rear of a vehicle, train, boat or aircraft.

The general public, member of any non-governmental organization or member of the school can display the flag on any occasions, celebrations etc. but subject to the following conditions;

• Whenever it is hoisted, its position should be respectable and special. [G]
• Damaged or disturbed flag should not be displayed. [G]
• Only one flag shall be flown at a time on a flagpole. [G]
• No other flag or ensign shall be raised higher or higher than or equal to the National Flag. [G]
• The flag will not be used for decoration. [G]
• Flags made of paper can be used by the public on important national occasions or sporting events. But such flags should be disposed of in a dignified manner after the ceremony.
• Where the flag is to be flown in the open, it should be flown as far as possible from sunrise to sunset, regardless of meteorological conditions.
• When the flag is damaged or damaged, it should be destroyed by burning it in isolation or by adopting such other method as will maintain its dignity. [G]

Note – Here wherever [G] is written in brackets; This means that the rule is the same for the government or government agencies as well. This has been done to avoid duplication.

| Rules for hoisting the flag by the government or government agencies

[Note – some changes have been done by the government recently, all changes are discussed in the last.]

proper way to fly the flag

Whenever the flag is hoisted, it should be given a respectable place and it should be placed in such a place where it can be clearly visible.

The flag can be flown on a public building from sunrise to sunset on all days and in any weather. In special circumstances, the flag can be hoisted at such places even at night.

The flag will be raised swiftly but will be lowered slowly and with respect.

If the flag is flown horizontally or diagonally on the front side of the building or balcony or window, then the saffron colored part of the flag should be towards the end of the pole which is farthest from the window sill or balcony.

If the flag is to be flown alone on a car, it shall be hoisted on a pole fitted tightly to the right in front of the car.

abuse

The flag shall not be used for draping in any form other than the funeral rites performed by the State/Army/Central Para Military Forces.

The flag shall not be draped over the hood, head, side or rear of any train, train or boat.

| The hoisting of the national flag with the flags of other nations and the flag of the United Nations

If the national flag is flown in a straight line with the flags of other nations, it will be placed on the far right, as you can see in this picture.

Flags of other nations shall be placed after the national flag in alphabetical order of the English names of those nations. 

In this situation the national flag can be placed at the beginning and end of the flag row as well as where it naturally occurs in the alphabetical order of the nations. The national flag will be hoisted first and lowered last.

When the National Flag and any other flag are flown together on a wall on two poles which intersect each other, the National Flag will be on the right side, that is, on the right side of the flag and its pole is on the other side of the other flag. Will be up As shown in the picture below;

When the national flag is flown along with other flags, all the flags will be of equal size. According to international tradition, it is forbidden to fly the flag of one nation over the flag of another nation during peace time.

Privilege of hoisting the National Flag on vehicles, President, Vice-President, Chief Justice and other Judges of Supreme Court, Prime Minister and Governors and Lieutenant Governors of States, Chief Ministers, Judges of High Courts of States and Union Ministers, Members of Parliament of India and Limited to members of the Indian states (Assembly and Legislative Council), and select officers from the Army, Navy and Air Force.

| Some interesting rules of the Flag Code of India

When the Indian flag is flown over Indian territory along with other national flags, the general rule is that the Indian flag should be the starting point of all flags. 

And whenever the flag is placed in a straight line, the rightmost flag is the Indian flag, followed by other national flags in alphabetical order.

If placed in a circle, the Indian flag is the first dot followed by other flags in alphabetical order. In such a placement, all other flags should be approximately the same size, with none of the other flags being larger than the Indian flag.

Each national flag should also be flown from its own pole and no flag should be kept higher than the other. The only exception to this rule is when it is flown with the flag of the United Nations, which can be placed to the right of the Indian flag.

These Constitutional Posts can be flag printed or flown on aircraft carrying the President, Vice President, Prime Minister, Chief Justice of India, Speaker [Lok Sabha] on foreign visits.

When a foreign dignitary travels in a government-provided car, the flag should be flown on the right side of the car, while the foreign flag should be flown on the left.

| flag hoisting In the event of the death

In the event of the death of the following dignitaries, the National Flag shall be flown at half-mast at designated places on the day of the death of the dignitary. 

The flag is flown at half- mast nationwide on the death of the Prime Minister, President, Vice President while on duty. 

The flag is flown at half-mast in Delhi on the death of the Chief Justice of India or the Speaker of the Lok Sabha .

The flag is also lowered at half-mast on the death of Governors, Lieutenant Governors and Chief Ministers and Chief Justice of High Courts.

recent amendments in Flag code of India

The Union government has recently amended the Flag Code of India, 2002. to aid the launch the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign. Let’s know the changes done by Government…..!

• The amendment allowed the use of polyester, apart from cotton, wool, silk, and khadi for making hand-spun, hand-woven, and machine-made flags. Earlier, the use of polyester and machine made was not allowed.
• The amended flag code will facilitate the availability of flags on such a large scale and also make them affordable for the general public. 
• The flags are now available for as low as Rs 30 on online portals. Once the flag code was amended, the government reached out to manufacturers and e-commerce sites to boost its availability. 
• The amendment allows the national flag to be displayed in open or displayed on the house of a member of public and it can be flown day and night. Earlier, the tricolour was allowed to be flown only from sunrise to sunset, irrespective of weather conditions.

• According to the Ministry of Culture, the plan is to reach out to more than 20 crore homes across the country by August 15, the 75th Independence Day.

So this was the important things of the Indian flag code, yet if you want to read each and every provision of the Indian flag code, then download the PDF from here.

Flag Code of India – Download Hindi PDF
Flag Code of India – Download English PDF
https://www.mha.gov.in/sites/default/files/Jhanda%28H%29_10102016.pdf