President Grants Assent To Law Penalising Obstruction To Vande Mataram Singing
The law gives National Song the same protection as the National Anthem.
Parliament Passes Bill Extending Penal Protection to National Song Alongside National Anthem
The President has granted assent to the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Act, 2026, expanding the scope of penal provisions under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971 to cover the National Song (Vande Mataram) alongside the National Anthem.
The amendment, passed by the Parliament in the ongoing Monsoon session, substitutes Section 3 of the 1971 Act.
Under the amended provision, any person who intentionally prevents the singing of the National Anthem or the National Song; or causes disturbance to any assembly engaged in such singing, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term extending up to three years, or with fine, or with both.
Prior to the amendment, Section 3 criminalised only the intentional prevention of the singing of the National Anthem or causing disturbance to an assembly engaged in its singing. The amendment extends the same statutory protection to the National Song, bringing both on an equal footing for the purposes of the penal provision.
The amendment does not alter the prescribed punishment. The maximum sentence continues to be imprisonment of up to three years, or fine, or both.
Earlier this year, the Union Government had issued a circular stipulating that the entire six stanzas of Vande Mataram must be played in official functions and schools along with the National Anthem. This created a controversy as some of the stanzas of Vande Mataram are praises to deities.
A petition was filed in the Supreme Court challenging the Centre's stipulation. However, the Supreme Court, in March this year, refused to entertain the petition, saying that there is no penalty prescribed for not singing it. The Karnataka High Court also disposed of a similar plea, noting that the MHA circular has not made the signing of all stanzas of Vande Mataram in schools mandatory.
The Calcutta High Court is also hearing a similar plea. During the hearing of the matter, the High Court recently observed that heaven will not fall if the entire song is sung in Madrassas.