In several States of the country including neighboring Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh etc. the Chief Minister attends the Governor’s State Level Republic Day Function, Even PM Narendra Modi whilst being CM of Gujarat use to attend State's Governor Republic Day function, In country's national capital too, its the President of India & not the Prime Minister who unfurls the Tricolour on Kartavya-Path, says Advocate Hemant Kumar
Face2News/Chandigarh
Since past several years rather decades, the Chief Ministers (CMs) of twin States of Punjab and Haryana have been unfurling National Flag on the occasion of Republic Day i.e. 26th January every year at District Level official functions organized across such States notwithstanding the fact that in the country's national capital, it is not the Head of Government i.e. the Prime Minister of India but rather the Constitutional Head viz. the Head of the State i.e. the President of India who unfurls the Tricolour on Kartavya-Path ( earlier known as Rajpath) and takes salute of the parade.
This year too on the occasion of country’s 77th Republic Day i.e. January 2026, while in Punjab although the State level function would he held at Fazilka district headquarters where Governor Gulab Chand Kataria would unfurl the National Flag, however CM Bhagwant Singh Mann would do so at Hoshiarpur district headquarters.
In neighbouring Haryana, Governor Ashim Kumar Ghosh would unfurl the National Flag at Panchkula district headquarters while CM Nayab Singh Saini would unfurl the Tricolour at Gurugram district headquarters.
However, in Himachal Pradesh, CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu would instead of unfurling the National Flag himself would attend the State Level Republic Day function at historic Ridge at Shimla where Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla would unfurl the National Flag.
Amidst all this, Hemant Kumar, an Advocate at Punjab and Haryana High Court, strongly asserts that even otherwise, since Republic Day commemorates the commencement of Constitution of India, only Constitutional Head of the State means the President of India at the Centre and Governors in the States ought to unfurl the National Flag in lieu of Prime Minister and Chief Ministers who otherwise use to hoist the Tricolour on the occasion of 15th August Independence Day.
Hemant further told that till the year 1974, on both Independence Day and Republic Day, it was only the State Governor who use to hoist/unfurl the National Flag both on Independence Day/Republic Day respectively but when then CM of Tamil Nadu, M. Karunanidhi wrote to then PM Indira Gandhi exhorting her that State CMs should too be granted a right to hoist National Flag, then Central Government decided that on the occasion of Independence Day, the State CM would hoist the Tricolour while on Republic Day, State Governor would unfurl the National Flag.
However, it is ironic that this protocol is not being followed in all States of the country including Punjab and Haryana.
Hemant recalls that even PM Narendra Modi when he was Gujarat CM from Oct, 2001 to May, 2014, he too use to attend the State Level Republic Day functions of State Governor only where the latter use to unfurl the National Flag and Modi as CM of Gujarat use to escort him and stand by the side of Governor.
The Advocate has publicly exhorted both the Chief Ministers of Punjab and Haryana to follow suit and instead of unfurling the National Flag scheduled at Hoshiarpur and Gurugram district headquarters respectively in their State, should rather attend and participate in their respective State Governor’s State Level Republic Day Function scheduled at Fazilka and Panchkula district headquarters respectively.
