ADVOCATE WRITES TO HARYANA GOVT. FOR CLEARANCE OF AMBIGUITY AS CIRCULAR LETTER ISSUED ON AUG 12 SILENT ON THE ISSUE, IN NEIGHBORING PUNJAB & HIMACHAL PRADESH, FLAG HOISTING BY RESPECTIVE CMS AT FEROZEPUR & BARSAR (HAMIRPUR) ARE OFFICIAL STATE LEVEL I-DAY FUNCTION(S) – HEMANT KUMAR
Face2News/Chandigarh
With Haryana all set to celebrate the 80th Independence Day on August 15, an unusual protocol question has surfaced over the State-level official flag-hoisting ceremony.
Advocate Hemant Kumar of the Punjab & Haryana High Court has submitted a Memorandum-cum-Public Representation to the Governor, Chief Minister, Chief Secretary (in Political and Parliamentary Affairs Department) and senior officials of the Haryana Government, seeking an immediate and formal clarification on which of two separately scheduled ceremonies constitutes the official State-Level Independence Day Function of Haryana.
According to the representation, the Haryana Government’s Circular No. 53/6/2026-5 Pol.-1 dated August 12, 2026 provides for the Hon’ble Governor to hoist the National Flag at Yamunanagar District Headquarters, while the Hon’ble Chief Minister is scheduled to hoist the National Flag at Hansi District Headquarters.
The key issue, Hemant points out, is that the circular does not expressly identify either ceremony as the “State-Level Independence Day Function of Haryana.”
“A matter of protocol, not politics”
The Advocate has emphasised that his representation is not intended to question the importance or dignity of the Governor’s ceremony at Yamunanagar. Rather, he has described the issue as one of official designation, constitutional convention, protocol and administrative clarity.
The representation draws attention to the established national convention followed since 1974, under which the Governor traditionally presides over the State-level Republic Day function, while the Chief Minister presides over the State-level Independence Day function.
On this basis, Hemant has urged the Haryana Government to formally designate the Chief Minister’s flag-hoisting ceremony at Hansi as the State-Level Independence Day Function.
Punjab and Himachal Pradesh cited
The representation also refers to arrangements in neighbouring States.
It points out that the Independence Day ceremonies to be presided over by the respective Chief Ministers in Punjab ( at Ferozepur) and Himachal Pradesh (at Barsar-Hamirpur) have officially been identified as State-level functions.
Hemant has argued that Haryana should similarly make its designation explicit, particularly when two separate ceremonies involving the State’s two highest constitutional/governmental functionaries are being held on the same National Day.
“Clarification before the celebrations begin”
The Advocate has requested that the Government issue an immediate clarification, addendum or corrigendum to its August 12 circular, preferably before commencement of the Independence Day programme.
He has further requested that the official programme, protocol arrangements, governmental communications and public announcements uniformly reflect the final designation.
The larger question
The representation raises a broader issue of whether an official State-level National Day function should be left to interpretation when the Government has already formally scheduled separate ceremonies involving the Governor and Chief Minister.
“The 80th Independence Day is a moment of immense national pride and solemnity,” Hemant Kumar submitted, stressing that the State’s ceremonial arrangements should reflect clarity, dignity, constitutional propriety and established governmental convention.
The representation has been addressed to Governor Prof. Ashim Kumar Ghosh, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, Chief Principal Secretary Rajesh Khullar, Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Arun Kumar Gupta, Parliamentary Affairs Secretary Rajiv Rattan and all Deputy Commissioners in the State of Haryana.
The countdown to August 15 has thus brought an unusual question of State protocol into focus: Will Haryana formally recognise the Chief Minister’s Hansi ceremony as its State-Level Independence Day Function — or accord that status to the Governor’s ceremony at Yamunanagar?
