HYDERABAD: Did you know that the national flag hoisted at Necklace Road, one of the five biggest flags in the country, was installed in violation of the Flag Code of India? The national flag at Secunderabad, Nampally and Kacheguda railway stations, and M J Market are also installed in violation of the code.
The flag posts holding the flag at all these places have crownlike structures, bulbs or emblems on the top, above the Tricolour.
The Hyderabad district collector has directed officials to rectify the error and ensure that the honour of the national flag as enshrined in the code is maintained. The collector issued the order after an IT professional and social service activist, Syed Asim Ahmad, filed a petition pointing out the violations.
The code states: “No other flag or bunting should be placed higher than or above or side by side with the national flag, nor should any object including flowers or garlands, or emblem be placed on or above the flag mast from which the flag is flown”.
Flag code violation: Collector orders inquiry
The district collector ordered an inquiry and found that the flag poles have decorative lights and emblem atop them, above the national flag. The RDO, Secunderabad division, in his letter stated that the flag post at Sanjeevaiah Park on Necklace Road has a lamp and emblem above the Tricolour. The tahsildars of Himayatnagar, Nampally and Secunderabad also reported violation of the code at Secunderabad, Nampally, Kacheguda railway stations and MJ Market.
Flag posts at Nampally railway station and M J Market have designs like flower and crown at top. “I have observed that the flags hoisted on high masts at various locations in the city are in violation of the Flag Code of India 2002. I approached the Hyderabad district collector highlighting the violation,” Asim Ahmad told TOI.
