RBE No.155/2002: National Flag – Flag Code of India

No.E(G)2002CL4/3, dated 05.09.2002

Sub: Flag Code of India – 2002.

The Ministry of Home Affairs had constituted a Committee to suggest the liberal use / display of the National Flag by Members of the general public. Based on the recommendation of the Committee, a new Flag Code of India 2002 has been brought out. This new Flag Code has taken effect from 26th January, 2002.
The new Flag Code of India is divided into three parts. Part-I of the code contains general description of the National Flag. Part-II is devoted to display of the National Flag by Member of the General public, private organizations, educational institutions, etc.
Extracts of Part-III of the new Flag Code of India 2002, which relates to Government Departments/ Organizations/ Functionaries etc. are enclosed herewith. This may be brought to the notice of all concerned for compliance.
Part-III
Hoisting/ Display Of The National Flag By The Central And State Governments And Their Organizations And Agencies

SECTION-I
Defence Installations/ Heads Of Missions/ Posts
3.1 The provisions of this part shall not apply to Defence Installations that have their own rule for display of the National Flag
3.2 The national flag may also be flown on the headquarters and residence of the Heads of Missions /Posts aboard in the countries where it is customary for diplomatic and Consular representatives to fly the National Flag on the Headquarters and their official residences.

SECTION-II
Official Display
3.3 Subject to the provisions contained in Section-1, it shall be mandatory for all Governments and their Organizations to follow the provisions contained in this part.
3.4 On all occasions for official display, only the Flag conforming to specifications laid down by the Bureau of Indian Standards, and wearing their standard mark shall be used. On other occasions also, it is desirable that only such Flags of appropriate size are flown.

SECTION-III
Correct Display
3.5 Wherever the Flag is flown, it should occupy the position of honour and be distinctly placed.
3.6 Where the practice is to fly the Flag on any public building, it shall be flown on that building on all days including Sundays and holidays and, except as provided in this Code, it shall be flown from Sun-rise to Sun-set irrespective of weather conditions. The Flag may be flown on such a building at night also but this should be only on very special occasions.
3.7 The Flag shall always be hoisted briskly and lowered slowly and ceremoniously. When the hoisting and the lowering of the Flag is accompanied by appropriate bugle calls, the hoisting and lowering should be simultaneous with the bugle calls.
3.8 When the Flag is displayed from a staff projecting horizontally or at an angle from a windowsill, balcony, or front of a building, the saffron band shall be at the farther end of the staff.
3.9 When the Flag is displayed flat and horizontal on a wall, the saffron band shall be upper most and when displayed vertically, the saffron band shall be to the right with reference to the Flag, i.e. it may be to the left of a person facing it.
3.10 When the Flag is displayed on a speaker’s platform it should be flown on a staff on speaker’s right as he faces the audiences or flag against the wall above and behind the speaker.
3.11 When used on occasions like the unveiling of a statue, the Flag shall be displayed distinctly and separately.
3.12 When the Flag is displayed alone on a motor car, it shall be flown from a staff, which should be affixed firmly either on the middle front of the bonnet or to the front right side of the car.
3.13 When the Flag is carried in a procession or a parade, it shall be either on the marching right, i.e. the Flag’s own right, or if there is a line of other flags, in front of the centre of the line.

SECTION-IV
Incorrect Display
3.14 Damaged or disbelieved Flag shall not be displayed.
3.15 The Flag shall not be dipped in salute to any person or thing.
3.16 No other flag or bunting shall be placed higher than or above or, except as hereinafter provided, side by side with the National Flag, nor shall any object including flowers or garland or Emblem to be placed on or about the Flag-Mast from which the Flag is flown.
3.17 The Flag shall not be used as festoon, rosette or bunting or in any other manner for decoration.
3.18 The Flag shall not be used to cover a speaker’s desk nor shall it be draped over a speaker’s platform.
3.19 The Flag shall not be displayed with the “saffron” down.
3.20 The Flag shall not be allowed to touch the ground or the floor or trail in water.
3.21 The Flag shall not be displayed or fastened in any manner as damage it.

SECTION-V
Misuse
3.22 The Flag shall not be used as a drapery in any form whatsoever except in State/ Military/ Central Para-military Forces funerals hereinafter provided.
3.23 The Flag shall not be draped over the hood, top, sides or back of a vehicle, train or boat.
3.24 The Flag shall not be used or stored in such a manner as it may damage or soil it.
3.25 When the Flag is in a damaged or soiled condition, it shall not be cast aside or disrespectfully disposed of but shall be destroyed as a hole in private, preferably by burning or by any other method consistent with the dignity of the Flag.
3.26 The Flag shall not be used as a covering for a building.
3.27 The Flag shall not be used as a portion of a costume or uniform of any description. It shall not be embroidered or printed upon cushions, handkerchiefs, napkins or boxes.
3.28 Lettering of any kind shall not be put up on the Flag.
3.29 The Flag shall not be used in any form of advertisement nor shall any advertising sign be fastened to the pole from which the Flag is flown.
3.30 The Flag shall not be used as a receptacle for receiving, delivering, holding or carrying anything.
Provided that there shall be no objection to keeping flower petals inside the flag before it is unfurled as part of celebrations on special occasions and on National Days like the Republic Day and Independence Day.

SECTION-VI
Salute
3.31 During the ceremony of hoisting or lowering the Flag or when the Flag is passing in a parade or in a review, all persons present should face the Flag and stand at attention. Those present in uniform should render the appropriate salute. When the Flag is in a moving column, persons present will stand at attention or salute as the Flag passes them. A dignitary may take the salute without a head dress.

SECTION-VII
Display With Flags Of Other Nations and Of United Nations
3.32 When displayed in a straight line with flags of other Countries, the National Flag shall be on the extreme right; i.e. if an observer were to stand in the centre of the row of the flags facing the audiences, the National Flag should be his extreme right. The position is illustrated in the diagram below:
3.33 Flags of foreign countries shall proceed as from the National Flag in alphabetical order on the basis of English versions of the names of the countries concerned. It would be permissible in such a case to begin and also to end the row of flags with the National Flag and also to include National Flag in the normal country wise alphabetical order. The National Flag shall be hoisted first and lowered last.
3.34 In case flags are to be flown in an open circle i.e. in an arc or a semi-circle, the same procedure shall be adopted as indicated in the preceding clause of this section. In case flags are to be flown in a closed, i.e., complete circle, the National Flag shall mark the beginning of the circle and the flags of other countries should proceed in a clockwise manner until the last flag is placed next to the National Flag. It is not necessary to use separate National Flags to mark the beginning and the end of circle of flags. The National Flag shall also be included in its alphabetical order in such a closed circle.
3.35 When the National Flag is displayed against a wall with another flag from crossed staffs, the National Flag shall be on the right i.e., the Flag’s own right, and its staff shall be in front of the staff of the other flag. The position is illustrated in the diagram below:
3.36 When the United Nation’s Flag is flown along with National Flag, it can be displayed on either side of the National Flag. The general practice is to fly the National Flag on the extreme right with reference to the direction which it is facing i.e., (extreme left of an observer facing the masts flying the Flags). The position is illustrated in the diagram below:
3.37 When the National Flag is flown with flags of other countries, the flag masts shall be of equal size. International usage forbids the display of the flag of one nation above that of another nation in time of peace.
3.38 The National Flag shall not be flown from a single mast-head simultaneously with any other flag or flags. There shall be separate mast-heads for different flags.

SECTION-VIII
Display Over Public Buildings / Official Residences
3.39 Normally the National Flag should be flown only on important public buildings such as High Courts, Secretariats, Commissioner’s offices, Collectorates, Jail and Offices of District Boards, Municipalities and Zilla Parishads and Departmental / Public Sector Undertakings.
3.40 In frontier areas, the National Flag may be flown on the border customs posts, check posts, out posts and at other special places where flying of Flag has special significance. In addition, it may be flown on the camp sites of border Patrols.
3.41 The National Flag should be flown on the official residence of the President, Vice-President, Governor and Lieutenant Governors when they are at Headquarters and on the buildings in which they stay during their visit to places outside the Headquarters. The flag flown on the official residence should, however, be brought down as soon as the dignitary leaves the Headquarters and it should be re-hoisted on that building as he enters the main gate of the building on return to the Headquarters. When the dignitary is on a visit to a place outside the Headquarters, the Flag should be hoisted on the building in which he stays as he enters the main gate of that building and it should be brought down as soon as he leaves that place. However, the Flag should be flown from Sun-rise to sun-set on such official residences, irrespective of whether the dignitary is at Headquarters or not on the – Republic Day, Independence Day, Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday, National week (6th to 13th April, in the memory of martyrs of Jallianwala Bagh), any other particular day of national rejoicing as may be specified by the Government of India or, in the case of a state, on the anniversary of formation of that state.
3.42 When the President, the Vice-President or the Prime Minister visits an institution, the National Flag may be flown by the institution as a mark of respect.
3.42 On the occasion of the visit to India by foreign dignitaries, namely, President, Vice-President, Emperor/King or Heir Prince and the Prime Minister, the National Flag may be flown along with the Flag of the foreign concerned connected in accordance with the rules contained in Section-VII by such private institutions as are according reception to the visiting foreign dignitaries and on such public buildings as the foreign dignitaries intend to visit on the day of the visit to the Institution.

SECTION-IX
Display on Motor Cars
3.44 The privilege of flying the National Flag on motor cars is limited to the:

(1) President
(2) Vice President
(3) Governor and Lieutenant Governors
(4) Heads of Indian Missions/ Posts abroad in the countries to which they are accredited
(5) Prime Minister and other Cabinet Ministers
Ministers of State and Deputy Ministers of the Union
Chief Ministers and other Cabinet Ministers of a State or Union Territory
Ministers of State and Deputy Ministers of a State or Union Territory
(6) Speaker of the Lok Sabha
Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha
Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha
Chairman of Legislative Council in States
Speakers of Legislative Assemblies in States and Union Territories
Deputy Chairman of Legislative Councils in States
Deputy Speaker of Legislative Assemblies and State and Union Territories
(7) Chief Justice of India
Judges of supreme Court
Chief Justice of High Court
Judges of High Courts

3.45 The dignitaries mentioned in clause (5) to (7) of paragraph 3.44 may fly the national flag on their cars, whenever they consider it necessary or advisable.
3.46 When a foreign dignitary travels in a car provided by Government, the National Flag will be flown on the right side of the car and the Flag of the foreign country will be flown on the left side of the car.

SECTION-X
Display on Trains/Aircrafts
3.47 When the President Travels by special train within the country, the National Flag should be flown from the driver’s cab on the side facing the platform of the station from where the train departs. The Flag should be flown only when the special train is stationary or when coming into Station where it is going to halt.
3.48 The National Flag will be flown on the aircraft carrying the President, the Vice-President or the Prime Minister on a visit to a foreign country. Alongside the National Flag, the Flag of the country visited should also be flown but, when the aircraft lands in countries enroute, the National Flag of the countries touched would be flown instead, as a gesture of courtesy and goodwill.
3.49 When the President goes on tour within India, the National Flag will be displayed on the side by which the President will embark the aircraft or disembark from it.

SECTION-XI
Half-Masting
3.50 In the event of death of the following dignitaries, the National Flag shall be half-masted at the places indicated against each on the day of death of the dignitary:

3.51 If the intimation of death of any dignitary is received in the afternoon, the Flag shall be of half-masted on the following also at the place or places indicated above provided the funeral has not taken place before sun-rise on that day
3.52 On the day of funeral of a dignitary mentioned above, the Flag shall be half-masted at the place where the funeral takes place.
3.53 If state mourning is to be observed on the death of any dignitary, the Flag shall be half-masted throughout the period of mourning throughout India in the case of the Union dignitaries and throughout the State or Union Territory concerned in the case of a State or Union Territory dignitary.
3.54 Half-masting of Flag and, where necessary, observance of State mourning on the death of foreign dignitaries will be or governed by special instructions which will issue from the Ministry of Home Affairs in individual cases.
3.55 Notwithstanding the above provisions, in the event of a half-mast day coinciding with the Republic Day, Independence Day, Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday, National Week (6th to 13th April in the memory of martyrs of Jallianwala Bagh), any other particular day of national rejoicing as may be specified by the Government of India or, in the case of a state, on the anniversary of formation of that state, the flag shall not be flown at half mast except over the building where the body of the deceased is lying until such time it has been removed and that Flag shall be raised to the full mast position after the body has been removed.
3.56 If the mourning were to be observed in a parade or profession where a flag is carried, two streamers of black crepe shall be attached to the spear head, allowing the streamers to fall naturally. The use of black crepe in such a manner shall be only by an order of the Government.

Download Railway Board Circular RBE No.155/2002

Forward reference⇒RBE No.