Govt permits flying 'Tiranga' at night

NEW DELHI: Indian citizens can now fly the National Flag even at night.

This is subject to the condition that the flagpole is really tall and the flag itself well-illuminated.

The Home Ministry took the decision following a proposal in this regard by industrialist Naveen Jindal, who had earlier won a court battle in the 1990s for flying the national flag (Tiranga) as a fundamental right for every citizen.

In a communication to Jindal, also a Congress leader and Member of Parliament, the Ministry said it has examined the proposal and had no objection to installing "giant flagpoles for flying the National Flag day and night at various places."

In a representation to the Ministry in June 2009, Jindal had sought permission to fly mammoth-sized national flag on monumental flagpoles during night.

Jindal had said that the National Flag is to be flown in "as far as possible between sunrise and sunset" as per Flag Code of India, but it was a common practice worldwide for massive national flags to be flown day and night on monumental flagpoles of 100 feet and above in height.

Citing the example of countries like Malaysia, Jordon, Abu Dhabi, North Korea, Brazil, Mexico and Turkmenistan where monumental flags are flown at night, Jindal proposed for such flags to be flown in India also.