Supreme Court Issues Notice on Fresh Pleas Challenging Mandatory Singing of All Six Stanzas of Vande Mataram.
New Delhi:
The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notices to the Centre and other parties on two fresh petitions challenging the legal requirement to sing all six stanzas of the national song, Vande Mataram. The court tagged the petitions with similar pending matters and scheduled the next hearing for November 30.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana issued notices on petitions filed by Bhimrao Duryodhan Borkar and former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Balakrishnan Sathyabhama Mavoji.
The petitions challenge the Ministry of Home Affairs’ orders dated January 28 and July 9, 2026, concerning the official version of Vande Mataram and its singing.
Petitioners Challenge Government Orders
In his petition, Borkar argued that the Ministry of Home Affairs’ orders had departed from the longstanding practice of singing the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram, which he described as a standalone, non-theistic composition.
He contended that extending the requirement to all six stanzas introduced verses from Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s novel Anandamath that, according to his plea, contain objectionable religious references and content directed against Muslims.
The petitioner alleged that the government orders had effectively replaced the previously followed version of the national song with a longer composition containing what he described as unconstitutional religious and communal elements.
Mavoji, in her petition, argued that adopting the six-stanza version as a mandatory national song amounted to an attempt to transform India into a religious state. Her plea raised concerns about the constitutional principles of secularism and freedom of conscience.
The Supreme Court has not yet ruled on the merits of these fresh challenges. By issuing notices, the bench has sought responses from the Centre and other respondents.
Supreme Court Earlier Raised Issue of Conscientious Objection
The latest petitions come after the Supreme Court, on September 22, considered the issue of conscientious objection while hearing a separate petition filed by Carnatic vocalist T. M. Krishna challenging the requirement to sing all six stanzas of Vande Mataram.
During that hearing, the bench told the Centre that a person who conscientiously objected to singing the national song should not be punished for refusing to do so. The court also referred to its landmark 1986 judgment in Bijoe Emmanuel v. State of Kerala, which protected schoolchildren who respectfully declined to sing the national anthem on grounds of conscience.
The bench indicated that it expected the principles established in that judgment to guide the interpretation of the amended legal provisions concerning Vande Mataram.
Krishna’s petition had argued that the last four stanzas of the composition raised concerns regarding the secular character of the Indian Constitution.
Constitutional Questions at the Centre of Dispute
The legal challenge raises questions about the relationship between national symbols, government directives and constitutionally protected freedoms, including freedom of conscience and the secular character of the Indian state.
The petitioners have questioned whether the government can make the singing of all six stanzas mandatory and whether individuals who object to particular verses on grounds of conscience can face penalties for refusing to sing them.
The Centre’s response to the fresh petitions is expected to form part of the proceedings when the matter comes up for hearing on November 30.
The Supreme Court’s eventual consideration of these challenges could clarify the legal position regarding the mandatory singing of Vande Mataram and the scope of constitutional protections for those who object on grounds of conscience.
