HC directs State govt to prevent misuse of national emblem

Cuttack: A division bench of the Orissa High Court has directed the State government to strengthen mechanisms to prevent misuse and improper depiction of the national emblem. The bench, comprising Chief Justice Harish Tandon and Justice Manas Ranjan Pathak, issued the direction while hearing a PIL filed by ‘Alone Trust’, a Ganjam-based NGO, which highlighted several instances of incorrect portrayal of the emblem in public buildings, court premises and public spaces. The petitioner pointed out that at Indira Gandhi Park in Bhubaneswar, the national motto ‘Satyameva Jayate’ was missing.

India’s national emblem is an adaptation of the Lion Capital of Ashoka at Sarnath, adopted on January 26, 1950. The petitioner also drew attention to errors in Odisha’s tableau, which won first prize at the 75th Republic Day Parade in 2024, where the motto was absent and Ashoka Chakras were wrongly depicted.

Seeking corrective action, the NGO urged the High Court to issue directions for preventing misuse and to promote public awareness about the legal, social, and cultural importance of the emblem. In its reply, the Odisha government acknowledged its statutory responsibility and admitted that mistakes had occurred. The State informed the bench about steps being initiated to rectify such errors and ensure compliance with the law.

Recognising the importance of the issue, the bench appointed senior advocates Manoj Kumar Mishra and Subir Palit as amicus curiae. They suggested creating social media awareness campaigns, establishing regular monitoring mechanisms, setting up a state-level task force, and introducing online reporting systems and helplines to facilitate timely complaints.

The High Court observed that despite existing laws, misuse of the national emblem continues largely due to lack of awareness rather than malicious intent. Referring to earlier directions of the Karnataka High Court issued in 2025, the bench noted that courts across the country have expressed concern over unauthorised use of national symbols. It declared that the Karnataka High Court’s directions would form an integral part of its own order.

Issuing additional directives, the High Court ordered the State to constitute a high-level task force headed by a senior Home department officer, prepare a standard operating procedure (SOP), and establish a unified online portal for citizens to upload geo-tagged complaints.