President Murmu Assents to Bill Criminalising Insult to Vande Mataram
For the first time at the Independence Day function, Vande Mataram will be sung from the ramparts of the Red Fort, the Union Home Ministry said.
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2026-08-11 10:50 GMT
New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday gave assent to the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, criminalising the intentional disruption or prevention of the singing of the national song ‘Vande Mataram’ and giving it the same legal protection as the national anthem, according to a government statement.
With the President’s assent, the Bill has become law. The Lok Sabha passed it on July 30, while the Rajya Sabha cleared it a day earlier. The legislation grants ‘Vande Mataram’ the same status as the national anthem, ‘Jana Gana Mana’.
The Union home ministry said ‘Vande Mataram’ will be sung from the ramparts of the Red Fort at the Independence Day function for the first time.
Earlier, the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act prohibited intentionally preventing the singing of the national anthem or causing disturbance to any assembly engaged in such singing.
The offences were punishable with imprisonment of up to three years, a fine or both. A second and every subsequent conviction attracted a minimum imprisonment of one year. The earlier law did not provide the same protection to the national song.
“Presently, there is no specific legal provision to prevent insults to the singing of 'Vande Mataram', which is honoured as the national song. Therefore, to prohibit any person from intentionally preventing the singing of the national song or causing disturbance to any assembly engaged in such singing, it is proposed to amend Section 3 of the said Act to include the national song also within its ambit, to make such acts punishable,” the Bill had said.
The Bill also referred to a statement made by Constituent Assembly president Dr Rajendra Prasad on January 24, 1950, that ‘Vande Mataram’, composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee and which played a historic role in the Indian freedom struggle, shall be honoured equally with the national anthem ‘Jana Gana Mana’ and shall have equal status with it.
Earlier this year, the Union Home Ministry directed that all six stanzas of ‘Vande Mataram’ be sung first when the national song and the national anthem are played together.
In an order dated January 28, the ministry issued the first set of protocols for singing the national song. It directed that all six stanzas, with a duration of three minutes and 10 seconds, be sung at official functions such as the arrival of the President, unfurling of the national flag and speeches of governors.
“When the national song and the national anthem are sung or played, the national song will be sung or played first,” the order read.
The order said the assembly where the national song is sung shall stand at attention. It also directed that the day’s work in all schools begin with community singing of the national song.
The Union home ministry said ‘Vande Mataram’ will be sung from the ramparts of the Red Fort at the Independence Day function for the first time.
Earlier, the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act prohibited intentionally preventing the singing of the national anthem or causing disturbance to any assembly engaged in such singing.
The offences were punishable with imprisonment of up to three years, a fine or both. A second and every subsequent conviction attracted a minimum imprisonment of one year. The earlier law did not provide the same protection to the national song.
“Presently, there is no specific legal provision to prevent insults to the singing of 'Vande Mataram', which is honoured as the national song. Therefore, to prohibit any person from intentionally preventing the singing of the national song or causing disturbance to any assembly engaged in such singing, it is proposed to amend Section 3 of the said Act to include the national song also within its ambit, to make such acts punishable,” the Bill had said.
The Bill also referred to a statement made by Constituent Assembly president Dr Rajendra Prasad on January 24, 1950, that ‘Vande Mataram’, composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee and which played a historic role in the Indian freedom struggle, shall be honoured equally with the national anthem ‘Jana Gana Mana’ and shall have equal status with it.
Earlier this year, the Union Home Ministry directed that all six stanzas of ‘Vande Mataram’ be sung first when the national song and the national anthem are played together.
In an order dated January 28, the ministry issued the first set of protocols for singing the national song. It directed that all six stanzas, with a duration of three minutes and 10 seconds, be sung at official functions such as the arrival of the President, unfurling of the national flag and speeches of governors.
“When the national song and the national anthem are sung or played, the national song will be sung or played first,” the order read.
The order said the assembly where the national song is sung shall stand at attention. It also directed that the day’s work in all schools begin with community singing of the national song.