The national flag can now be flown throughout the night if it is in the open and is hoisted by a member of the public. As the Union government launched the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga Abhiyan’ on August 13, the Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday amended the Indian Flag Code 2002 to allow the national flag to be flown even at night. Earlier the flag could be flown only between sunrise and sunset.
In recently issued FAQs on the Flag Code, the ministry said that clause XI of Article 2.2 of the Flag Code was replaced with the following clause: “Where the flag is displayed in the open or at the residence of a member”. is displayed on the public, it can be flown day and night”.
Clause XI earlier read, “where the flag is displayed in the open, it should, as far as possible, be flown from sunrise to sunset, irrespective of weather conditions”.
The government had earlier amended the flag code to allow for machine-made and polyester flags to be used. In a notification last year, the government replaced paragraph 1.2 of Part I of the flag code with the following: “The National Flag shall be made of hand-spun and handwoven or machine-made, cotton/ polyester/ wool/ silk khadi bunting.”
Earlier the use of machine-made and polyester flags was not allowed.
The Amrit Mahotsav of Independence is being celebrated to commemorate 75 years of independent India. The Har Ghar Tiranga Abhiyan encourages citizens to unfurl the national flag at their homes from August 13 to 15.
Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla has also written to all government departments on the campaign with attachments explaining the salient features of the flag code, including the changes made on December 30, 2021, and July 20, 2022. Attached to the letter are frequently asked questions about the use and display of the national flag.
“You are requested to ensure that this is widely circulated among various organizations and PSUs under your administrative control,” the home secretary wrote in the letter.
