Explained: The Flag Code of India and the recent amendments

The Union government has amended the country's flag code to aid the launch the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ (hoisting of flag in every home) from August 13 to 15 as part of the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’, which will commemorate the 75 years Independence. The move has been praised as well as criticised by some sections of the society.

Here is all you need to know about the Flag Code of India and the recent amendments.

The Flag Code of India 2002 is a set of laws and conventions that governs the use, display, and hoisting of the Indian National Flag in the country. It came into effect on January 26, 2002, and before that the activities concerning the national flag were governed by the provisions of The Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950 and The Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971.

As per the Flag Code of India 2002, a member of a public, private organisation, or educational institute is allowed to hoist the national flag on all days and occasions in accordance with the dignity and honour of the flag.

The code is divided into three parts. The first part outlines a general description of the Indian National Flag.

The second part talks about the rules of display of the flag by members of the public, private organisations, and other institutions.

The third part contains details and rules of display of the national flag by the Central and state governments, and their organisations/agencies.

The Centre has amended certain rules of the Indian Flag Code 2002 to aid the launch the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign.

As per a New Indian Express report, the first recent amendment was made to the Flag Code of India earlier on December 30, 2021. 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.

Recently, as informed by the Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, the Flag Code of India, 2002 has been further amended through an order on July 20, 2022. 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.

After the first amendment to the flag code, a section of khadi weavers protested saying that the demand for khadi flags has suffered due the new rule that permits the use of machine-made and polyester flags. Concerns were also expressed by opposition leaders over machine-made polyester flags being imported from China, the Business Standard reported.