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Bhubaneswar: The Orissa High Court on Wednesday directed the Odisha government to strictly comply with the National Flag Code 2002 and ban the use of plastic and paper flags during the celebration of Independence Day, which falls on Thursday.
The Flag Code of India 2002 envisages that the national flag of India should be made of hand spun and hand woven wool/cotton/silk khadi bunting. The flag should not be used as a festoon, rosette or bunting or in any other manner for decoration.
In addition to this, Section 3A (2.2) of The Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971 (Amended by the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Act, 2003), says the flag made of paper may be waved by public on occasions of important national, cultural and sports events. However, such paper flags should not be discarded or thrown on the ground after the event. As far as possible, it should be disposed of in private consistent with the dignity of the Flag.
The provision of the Flag Code of India 2002 further says, the flag should not be used in any manner for decoration. It clearly says that whoever in any public place or in any other place within public view burns, mutilates, defaces, defiles, disfigures, destroys, tramples up on or otherwise shows disrespect to or brings into contempt (whether by words, either spoken or written, or by acts) the Indian National Flag.......... or any part thereof, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.
The national flag shall be rectangular in shape and the ratio of the length to the height (width)
of the flag shall be 3:2.
Notably, the Union home ministry had issued a letter to all the states in November 2012 asking them to ban the use of national flags made of plastic.
