The Supreme Court recently refused to interfere with the Karnataka High Court's order, which dismissed a petition challenging the Government order prescribing the tune in which the State anthem 'Jayabharatha Jananiya Tanujate' is to be sung.

It may be recalled that singer Kikkeri Krishnamurthy filed a writ petition before the High Court questioning the State government's September 25, 2022, order prescribing that the State Anthem, Jayabharatha Jananiya Tanujate, be sung for two and a half minutes, in a tune composed by Mysore Ananthaswamy.

After the High Court dismissed his petition, Krishnamurthy filed a special leave petition, which was heard by a bench comprising Justice BV Nagarathna and Justice R Mahadevan. Senior Advocate V Katarki appeared for the petitioner.

However, the bench refused to entertain the plea, noting that there has to be uniformity in the rendition of the State anthem both with regard to raga as well as duration of the song.

In such circumstances, it held: "We note that there has to be uniformity in the rendition of the State Anthem both with regard to the raga as well as with regard to the duration of the song. In the circumstances, we do not find any reason to interfere with the impugned order. The Special Leave Petition is hence dismissed."

The High Court observed that that the “Raga" is composed by an expert and the petitioner's complaint that the government cannot prescribe a raga in which the Naada Geethe has to be rendered or sung is not tenable since it is not hurting any rights.

Case Details: KIKKERI KRISHNA MURTHY v THE STATE OF KARNATAKA & ORS.|SPECIAL LEAVE PETITION (CIVIL) Diary No(s). 20297/2026

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Appearances: For Petitioner(s) Mr. Mohan V Katarki, Sr. Adv. Mr. D.S. Jayaraj, Adv. Mr. Sandesh R, Adv. Mr. Hemant Kumar Sagar, Adv. Mr. Ratnesh Kumar, Adv. Mr. E. C. Vidya Sagar, AOR