The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notice on two petitions challenging the Union government's January 28 and July 9, 2026 orders prescribing a six-stanza version of Vande Mataram for singing and playing on specified occasions, Live Law reported. As soon as the matters were taken up, a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana issued notice to the Centre, the report said, adding that Dr G Mohan Gopal appeared for the petitioners.
Source: Live Law
Bar and Bench, reporting the same hearing, said the petitions challenge the orders issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on January 28 and July 9, 2026, relating to the singing or playing of the National Song and the National Anthem. LawChakra reported that both petitions, along with Carnatic vocalist TM Krishna's plea, are listed next on November 30, and that the Court has not examined the merits.
Source: Bar and Bench
One petitioner, BD Borkar, a Scheduled Caste Buddhist, Ambedkarite activist and former national president of BAMCEF, contends in his petition, as an allegation yet to be tested, that imposing the six-stanza version violates secularism and fraternity and, in his words, converts the polity from a 'secular republic' to a 'theocracy', Live Law reported. He contends the move would deepen communal division, the report said.
Source: Live Law
The petitioners contend that the Centre has effectively replaced the two-stanza version traditionally sung at national functions since Independence with the six-stanza composition appearing in Bankim Chandra Chatterjee's novel Anandamath, Live Law reported. Borkar's plea says stanzas three to six invoke Hindu goddesses Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati, Bar and Bench reported.
Source: Bar and Bench
The second petition was filed by Balakrishnan Sathyabhama Mavoji, a former IAS officer from Kerala, Live Law reported. Mavoji's plea states that making the six-stanza version mandatory violates freedom of religion and conscience and undermines secularism and fraternity, and seeks quashing of the two Home Ministry orders and a declaration that the two-stanza version is India's national song, Bar and Bench reported. The Centre's response is awaited.
Source: Bar and Bench