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The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to entertain a petition challenging a Home Ministry circular on the singing of the national song ‘Vande Mataram’ at official events. The court observed that the directive was not mandatory and did not impose any legal obligation on individuals.
A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi, termed the plea as “premature” and based on “vague apprehension of discrimination.” The petitioner had argued that the circular could indirectly compel individuals to participate, potentially conflicting with personal beliefs.
During the hearing, the bench noted that the circular uses the term “may,” indicating that participation is voluntary. The court further pointed out that there was no evidence of any penal action or coercion against individuals for not singing the national song.
The bench clarified that the petitioner could approach the court again if any concrete instance of compulsion or punitive action arises. For now, it held that the plea lacked substantive grounds for judicial intervention.
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