2                               National Symbols
      National Flag
            THE National Flag shall be a tricolour panel made up of three rectangular panels or sub-
      panels of equal width. The colour of the top panel shall be India saffron (kesari) and that of the
      bottom panel India green. The middle panel shall be white, bearing at its centre the design of
      Ashoka Chakra in navy blue colour with 24 equally spaced spokes. The Ashoka Chakra shall
      preferably be screen printed or otherwise printed or stenciled or suitably embroidered and shall
      be completely visible on both sides of the Flag in the centre of the white panel. The National
      Flag shall be rectangular in shape. The ratio of the length to the height (width) of the Flag shall
      be 3:2. The design of the National Flag was adopted by the Constituent Assembly of India on
      July 22, 1947.
            Apart from non-statutory instructions issued by the government from time to time, display
      of the National Flag is governed by the provisions of the Emblems and Names (Prevention of
      Improper Use) Act, 1950 (No. 12 of 1950) and the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act,
      1971 (No. 69 of 1971). The Flag Code of India, 2002 is an attempt to bring together all such
      laws, conventions, practices and instructions for the guidance of all concerned.
            The Flag Code of India, 2002 effective from January 26, 2002 superseded the ‘Flag Code-
      India’ as it existed then. As per the provisions of the Flag Code of India, 2002, there is no
      restriction on the display of the National Flag by members of general public, private
      organizations, educational institutions, etc., except to the extent provided in the Emblems and
      Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950 and the Prevention of Insults to National Honour
      Act, 1971 and any other law enacted on the subject.
      State Emblem
            The State Emblem of India is an adaptation of the Lion Capital of Ashoka at Sarnath. In the
      original, the Lion Capital has four lions mounted back to back, on a circular abacus. The frieze of
      the abacus is adorned with sculptures in high relief of an elephant, a galloping horse, a bull and a
      lion separated by intervening Dharma Chakras. The abacus rests on a bell shaped lotus.
            The profile of the Lion Capital showing three lions mounted on the abacus with a Dharma
      Chakra in the centre, a bull on the right and a galloping horse on the left, and outlines of Dharma
      Chakras on the extreme right and left was adopted as the State Emblem of India on January 26,
      1950. The bell-shaped lotus was omitted. The motto “Satyameva Jayate”-Truth alone Triumphs
      —written in Devanagari script below the profile of the Lion Capital is part of the State Emblem
      of India.
            In the State Emblem lies the official seal of the Government of India. Its use is regulated by
      the State Emblem of India (Prohibition of Improper Use) Act, 2005 and The State Emblem of
      India (Regulation of Use) Rules, 2007 [read with State Emblem of India (Regulation of Use)