Gandhinagar: Gujarat govt has launched a drive against private organisations, NGOs, trusts and commercial establishments allegedly using govt names, designations, and national symbols in a manner that could mislead citizens into believing they are associated with govt.The general administration department (GAD) has directed state departments, offices and registration authorities to strictly enforce provisions of Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950, after a circular was issued by the Union consumer affairs department to states.Under the directions, private organisations, trusts and business entities will require written permission from the Centre to use terms such as ‘bureau’, ‘commission’, ‘ministry’, ‘Centre’, ‘All India’, ‘national’ and ‘Indian’ in their names. Where such terminology is permitted, the entity must clearly indicate that it is a private enterprise and has no association with govt or any govt objective.The move follows concerns over private entities adopting names and identities that resemble names of govt departments and agencies. The Centre has pointed out that in several cases, private organisations have allegedly reproduced the Ashoka emblem, Ashoka Chakra and govt seals on letterheads, visiting cards, office signboards and websites.Such practices can lead citizens to mistake private services or transactions for govt activities, potentially resulting in financial losses or the sharing of documents with unauthorised entities, officials said.The state has also asked registration authorities, including the registrar of societies, registrar of firms and the cooperation department, to screen applications at the registration stage and reject names that violate the provisions of the act.In cases where there is doubt or a dispute over the proposed name, the matter will have to be referred to the Centre, whose decision will be treated as final.Govt has warned that action will be taken against entities violating the law, stressing that preventing the unauthorised use of govt identities and national symbols is also linked to protecting national prestige and preventing citizens from being misled.
