---
title: "Supreme Court Examines Whether Not Singing Vande Mataram Can Be Made Punishable"
english_title: "Supreme Court Examines Criminal Action Over Not Singing Vande Mataram"
publisher: "Truevision English News"
canonical_url: "https://english.truevisionnews.com/news/383817/supreme-court-vande-mataram-criminal-action-tm-krishna"
published_at: "2026-09-22T16:12:00+05:30"
category: "National"
language: "en"
image: "https://cf.zdn.im/img/truevisionnews.com/0/image-uploads/6ab25c3a34037_supreme-court-vande-mataram-criminal-action-tm-krishna.jpg"
keywords: ["Vande Mataram", "Supreme Court", "T M Krishna", "Religious Freedom", "Freedom of Conscience", "Centre Government"]
---

# Supreme Court Examines Whether Not Singing Vande Mataram Can Be Made Punishable

> **Lead Summary:** **New Delhi:** The Supreme Court has observed that it expects there will be no criminal action against people who do not sing all the stanzas of Vande Mataram due to religious reasons or conscientious objection. The observation came while hearing a petition filed by Carnatic musician T.M. Krishna. The court has decided to examine in detail whether refusing to sing Vande Mataram can be made a punishable offence and has issued notice to the Central government on Krishna’s petition.

## Article Content

**New Delhi:** The Supreme Court has observed that it expects there will be no criminal action against people who do not sing all the stanzas of Vande Mataram due to religious reasons or conscientious objection. The observation came while hearing a petition filed by Carnatic musician T.M. Krishna. The court has decided to examine in detail whether refusing to sing Vande Mataram can be made a punishable offence and has issued notice to the Central government on Krishna’s petition.

Krishna has primarily challenged the Central government’s directive requiring all six stanzas of Vande Mataram to be sung at official functions. According to the petitioner’s position, the final four stanzas contain references to Hindu deities, and compelling people to sing them would be contrary to freedom of religion and freedom of conscience.

The Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant also referred to the 1986 Bijoe Emmanuel judgment, which had made it clear that a person cannot be punished merely for not singing the national anthem.

Under the current legal provisions, a person who intentionally prevents the singing of the national anthem or national song, or causes disruption at an assembly engaged in such singing, can face imprisonment of up to three years, a fine, or both. However, the distinction between preventing or disrupting the singing and simply not participating in it has been raised in the context of the present petition.

> Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Central government, strongly opposed the petition. He argued that those who question the national anthem are people who do not have allegiance to the Constitution and the rule of law and have a “Naxalite mindset.” Mehta also pointed out that the role played by the national anthem during the freedom struggle should not be forgotten.

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