<p>The Centre today made it clear there is no provision in the Constitution for a separate flag for any state and the tricolour is the only flag for India.<br /><br />This comes after the Karnataka government initiated a move for a separate flag for the state with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah defending the step after it came under attack from rival parties.<br /><br />"We are one nation, one flag. Legally there is no provision either for providing or prohibiting a separate flag for any state," a home ministry spokesperson said.<br /><br />Home ministry officials said Karnataka already has a flag which represents only the "people and not the government".<br /><br />That flag is not used in national ceremonies like Republic Day or Independence Day but on occasions like state foundation day, an official said.<br /><br />But the use of that flag was also challenged in courts by some people and a decision on the matter is yet to be taken, the official, who wished not to be quoted, said.<br /><br />A nine-member committee has been formed by Karnataka's Congress government and tasked with submitting a report on designing the separate flag for the state and providing a legal standing for it.<br /><br />If the flag comes into being, Karnataka will be the second state to have its official flag after Jammu and Kashmir, which enjoys a special status under Article 370 of the Constitution.</p>
<p>The Centre today made it clear there is no provision in the Constitution for a separate flag for any state and the tricolour is the only flag for India.<br /><br />This comes after the Karnataka government initiated a move for a separate flag for the state with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah defending the step after it came under attack from rival parties.<br /><br />"We are one nation, one flag. Legally there is no provision either for providing or prohibiting a separate flag for any state," a home ministry spokesperson said.<br /><br />Home ministry officials said Karnataka already has a flag which represents only the "people and not the government".<br /><br />That flag is not used in national ceremonies like Republic Day or Independence Day but on occasions like state foundation day, an official said.<br /><br />But the use of that flag was also challenged in courts by some people and a decision on the matter is yet to be taken, the official, who wished not to be quoted, said.<br /><br />A nine-member committee has been formed by Karnataka's Congress government and tasked with submitting a report on designing the separate flag for the state and providing a legal standing for it.<br /><br />If the flag comes into being, Karnataka will be the second state to have its official flag after Jammu and Kashmir, which enjoys a special status under Article 370 of the Constitution.</p>