A former IAS officer from Kerala has approached the Supreme Court challenging the Centre’s directions prescribing the six-stanza version of Vande Mataram for singing or playing on specified occasions. The petition alleges that the directions interfere with freedom of conscience, religious choice and the secular character of the Indian Constitution.
The petitioner, Balakrishnan Sathyabhama Mavoji, has challenged the Union Government’s orders dated January 28 and July 9, 2026. He argues that prescribing the complete six-stanza composition effectively replaces the two-stanza version traditionally performed as the National Song since Independence.
Mavoji has filed the petition in his capacity as Chairman of the Anupathika Prathinidhya Prakshobha Samithi (APPS). His challenge focuses on the religious references in the longer composition and whether the government can require citizens to participate in a rendition that conflicts with their personal beliefs.
Petitioner Objects to Religious References in the Song
Mavoji describes himself as a Hindu belonging to a Scheduled Caste community who does not follow the Vaishnavite or Shakta religious traditions referred to in his petition.
He contends that the later stanzas of Vande Mataram, drawn from Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s novel Anandamath, contain invocations to Hindu goddesses and religious imagery that he does not subscribe to.
According to the plea, requiring citizens to sing these portions could compel them to pay obeisance to deities and religious doctrines they do not personally accept.
The petitioner argues that an individual’s religious identity does not necessarily mean acceptance of every tradition or form of worship associated with that religion. He maintains that citizens must retain the freedom to determine their own beliefs without being compelled to participate in a particular religious expression.
The petition further alleges that making the longer version the prescribed National Song risks promoting a sectarian conception of the State, contrary to India’s constitutional commitment to secularism.
These are the petitioner’s allegations and remain subject to judicial determination.
Why the Centre’s 2026 Orders Are Being Challenged
The petition challenges two sets of directions issued by the Union Government on January 28 and July 9, 2026, concerning the performance of the National Song on specified occasions.
The petitioner argues that the directions prescribe the six-stanza version as the official rendition, although the first two stanzas have traditionally been used as the standalone National Song.
He contends that the longer composition, particularly its later stanzas, carries religious references that distinguish it from the shorter version commonly performed at official and ceremonial functions.
According to the plea, the government cannot effectively change the established form of the National Song through executive directions without lawful authority, especially when the change is alleged to affect fundamental rights.
The challenge therefore raises questions about the scope of the Centre’s powers to prescribe protocols for national symbols and the constitutional limits on those powers.
Freedom of Conscience and Religious Choice
A central argument in the petition is that freedom of conscience protects individuals from being compelled to express religious beliefs they do not hold.
The petitioner maintains that respect for the National Song should not require citizens to affirm religious imagery or participate in devotional expressions that conflict with their convictions.
The plea invokes constitutional protections relating to freedom of conscience, religious freedom, equality, freedom of expression and personal liberty.
It also raises the broader question of whether declining to sing particular stanzas should be treated differently from showing disrespect towards the country or its national symbols.
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The petition argues that patriotic sentiment and personal religious belief are not necessarily the same, and that the State must account for this distinction when prescribing official practices.
The Two-Stanza Version Versus the Full Composition
The dispute also concerns the historical distinction between the standalone two-stanza version of Vande Mataram and the six-stanza composition associated with Anandamath.
The petitioner contends that the shorter version has been used as the National Song since Independence and that the longer composition introduces additional religious references that were not part of the version traditionally performed in that capacity.
He argues that the Centre’s directions effectively alter this longstanding practice by prescribing all six stanzas for designated occasions.
The question is whether the government’s decision amounts merely to establishing a performance protocol or goes further by changing the officially recognised form of the National Song in a manner that raises constitutional concerns.
What Happens Next?
The petition places the Centre’s directions under constitutional scrutiny, particularly concerning freedom of conscience, religious liberty and secularism.
The Supreme Court will have to consider the legal basis of the government’s directions and the petitioner’s claims about their impact on fundamental rights.
The filing does not, by itself, mean that the challenged orders have been declared unconstitutional or that the Court has accepted the petitioner’s arguments.
The case brings a wider constitutional debate into focus: Can the State prescribe how a national symbol must be performed without compromising the freedom of citizens who object to particular religious expressions?
The final determination will depend on the Court’s examination of the applicable constitutional provisions and the legal authority underlying the Centre’s directions.
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