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National Flag rules relaxed, move pents up nationalistic fervor

06 Jul '05

3 min read

The Union Cabinet today approved a proposal to amend the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, withdrawing the restriction on the use of National Flag as a portion of costume or uniform by the members of public, in general, and the sports-persons, in particular.

The Government had constituted a National Flag Committee in October, 2000 to examine various issues relating to the use/display of the National Flag including the extent to which unrestricted /liberal use of the National Flag by members of the public could be permitted.

The Report of the Committee was considered by the Ministry of Home Affairs and the matter was placed before the Cabinet for accepting the recommendations made by the Committee with certain modifications.

On acceptance of the proposals by the Cabinet, a new “Flag Code of India-2002” was finalized and brought into effect from 26th January, 2002 superseding 'Flag Code-India'.

The most notable feature of the Flag Code of India, 2002 is that it withdraws all restrictions on the display of the National Flag by members of general public, private organizations, educational institutions, etc., except to the extent provided in the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use ) Act, 1950 and the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971 (amended in 2003) and any other law enacted on the subject.

The Cabinet, while approving liberalization in the use/display of the National Flag by members of public, had inter-alia decided that “in due course, amendment to the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971 may be considered with a view to making the penalty for deliberate insult to National Flag for second and subsequent offence more stringent and defining the 'insult' at greater length by including serious disrespect to the Flag such as use of Flag on costumes, etc., within the purview of 'insults' ”.

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