THE EMBLEMS AND NAMES (PREVENTION OF IMPROPER USE) ACT, 1950

An Act to prevent the improper use of certain emblems and names for professional and
commercial purposes.
Be it enacted by Parliament as follows:
1. Short tt!", "#t"$t, %&&!'%to$ %$( 'o))"$'")"$t . * (1) This Act may be called the
Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper se) Act! 1"#$%
(&) It e'tends to the whole of India! and also applies to citi(ens of India o)tside India%
(*) It shall come into force on s)ch
i
[1] +dates, as the -entral .overnment may! by notification in
the /fficial .a(ette! appoint%
+. D",$to$ . * In this Act! )nless the conte't otherwise re0)ires! 1
(a) ?emblem? means any emblem! seal! fla2! insi2nia! coat3of3arms or pictorial representation
specified in the 4ched)le5
(b) ?competent authority? means any a)thority competent )nder any law for the time bein2 in
force to re2ister any company! firm or other body of persons or any trade mar6 or desi2n or to
2rant a patent5
(c) 1name? incl)des any abbreviation of a name%
-. Proh.to$ o, )&ro&"r /0" o, '"rt%$ ").!")0 %$( $%)"0. * 1Notwithstandin2 anythin2
contained in any law for the time bein2 in force! no person shall! e'cept in s)ch cases and )nder
s)ch conditions as may be prescribed by the -entral .overnment! )se! or contin)e to )se! for the
p)rpose of any trade! b)siness! callin2 or profession! or in the title of any patent! or in any trade
mar6 or desi2n! any name or emblem specified in the 4ched)le or any colo)rable imitation
thereof witho)t the previo)s permission of the -entral .overnment or of s)ch officer of
.overnment as may be a)thorised in this behalf by the -entral .overnment%
1. Proh.to$ o, r"20tr%to$ o, '"rt%$ 'o)&%$"0, "t' . * (1) Notwithstandin2 anythin2
contained in any law for the time bein2 in force! no competent a)thority shall! 1
(a) re2ister any company! firm or other body of persons which bears any name! or
(b) re2ister a trade mar6 or desi2n which bears any emblem or name! or
(c) 2rant a patent in respect of an invention1 which bears a title containin2 any emblem or name!
if the )se of s)ch name or emblem is in contravention of 4ection *%
(&) If any 0)estion arises before a competent a)thority whether any emblem is an emblem
specified in the 4ched)le or a colo)rable imitation thereof! the competent a)thority! may refer the
0)estion to the -entral .overnment! and the decision of the -entral .overnment thereon shall be
final%
5. P"$%!t3. * Any person who contravenes the provisions of 4ection * shall be p)nishable with
fine which may e'tend to five h)ndred r)pees%
4. Pr"5o/0 0%$'to$ ,or &ro0"'/to$. * No prosec)tion for any offence p)nishable )nder this
Act shall be instit)ted! e'cept with the previo)s sanction of the -entral .overnment or of any
officer a)thorised in this behalf by 2eneral or special order of the -entral .overnment%
6. S%5$20. * Nothin2 in this Act shall e'empt any person from any s)it or other proceedin2s
which mi2ht! apart from this Act! be bro)2ht a2ainst him%
7. Po8"r o, th" C"$tr%! 9o5"r$)"$t to %)"$( th" S'h"(/!". * The -entral .overnment may!
by notification in the /fficial .a(ette! add to or alter the 4ched)le! and any s)ch addition or
alteration shall have effect as if it had been made by this Act%
9. Po8"r to )%:" r/!"0. * The -entral .overnment may! by notification in the /fficial .a(ette!
ma6e r)les to carry o)t the p)rposes of this Act%
T7E 4-7E89E
+see 4ections & (a) and *,
1%1 The name! emblem or official seal of the nited Nations /r2anisation%
&%1 The name! emblem or official seal of the :orld 7ealth /r2anisation%
*%1 The Indian National ;la2%
<%1 The name! emblem or official seal of the .overnment of India or of any 4tate! or any other
insi2nia or coat3of3arms )sed by any s)ch .overnment or by a 8epartment of any s)ch
.overnment%
#%1 The emblems of the 4t% =ohn Amb)lance Association (India)! and the 4t% =ohn Amb)lance
Bri2ade (India)! consistin2 of the device of a white ei2ht pointed cross embellished in the fo)r
principal an2les! whether or not the device is s)rro)nded or accompanied by concentric circles or
other decoration or by letterin2%
>%1 The name! emblem or official seal of the President! .overnor! 4adar3i3?iyasat or ?ep)blic or
nion of India%
@%1 Any name which may s)22est or be calc)lated to s)22est 1
(i) the patrona2e of the .overnment1 of India or the .overnment of a 4tate5 or
(ii) connection with any local a)thority or any corporation or body constit)ted by the .overnment
)nder any law for the time bein2 in force%
A%1 The name! emblem or official seal of the nited Nations Ed)cational! 4cientific and -)lt)ral
/r2anisation%
"%1 The name or pictorial representation of ?ashtrapati! ?ashtrapati Bhavan! ?aB Bhavan%
"3A%1 The name of pictorial representation of Cahatma .andhi! Pandit =awaharlal Nehr)!
-hhatrapati 4hivaBi CaharaB or the Prime Cinister of India or the words 1.andhi1! 1Nehr)1 or 1
4hivaBi1! e'cept the pictorial )se thereof on calendars where only the names of the man)fact)rers
and printers of the calendars are 2iven and the calendars are not )sed for advertisin2 2oods%
1$%1 The medals! bad2es or decorations instit)ted by the .overnment from time to time or the
miniat)res or replicas of s)ch medals! bad2es or decorations or the names of s)ch medals!
bad2es or decorations or of the miniat)res or replicas thereof%
11%1 The name! emblem or official seal of the International -ivil Aviation /r2anisation%
1&%1 The word 1Interpol1 which is an inte2ral part of the International -riminal Police
/r2anisation%
1*%1 The name! emblem or official seal of the :orld Ceteorolo2ical /r2anisation%
1<%1 The name! emblem of the T)berc)losis Association of India %
1#%1 The name! emblem and official seal of the International Atomic A2ency%
1>%1 The names 1Asho6a -ha6ra1 or 18harma -ha6ra1 or the pictorial representation of Asho6a
-ha6ra as )sed in the India National ;la2 or in the official seal or emblem of the .overnment of
India or of any 4tate .overnment or of a 8epartment of any s)ch .overnment%
1@%1 The name of the Parliament or the 9e2islat)re of any 4tate! or the 4)preme -o)rt! or the
7i2h -o)rt of any 4tate! or the -entral 4ecretariat! or the 4ecretariat of any 4tate .overnment or
any other .overnment /ffice or the pictorial representation of any b)ildin2 occ)pied by any of the
aforesaid instit)tions%
1A%1 The name and emblem of the ?ama Drishna Cath and ?ama6rishna Cission consistin2 of a
4wan floatin2 on waters! with a lot)s in the fore2ro)nd and the risin2 s)n in the bac62ro)nd! the
whole bein2 encircled by a hooded serpent! with the words s)perimposed on the bottom portion%
1"%1 The names and emblems of the 4ri 4arada Cath and ?ama6rishna 4arada Cission
consistin2 of a 4wan (facin2 ri2ht) floatin2 on water! with a 9ot)s in the fore2ro)nd and the risin2
s)n in the bac62ro)nd! the whole bein2 encircled by a wild serpent (facin2 ri2ht) with the words1
s)perimposed on the bottom portion%
&$%1 The name of EThe Bharat 4co)ts and .)idesF with its EEmblemF%
&1%1 The name and emblem of the International /lympic -ommittee consistin2 of five interlaced
rin2s%
i