Overview
- The Karnataka government issued an order after a September 3 Cabinet decision that directs only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram be sung at most state programmes while reserving the full six stanzas for events attended by the President, Vice‑President, Prime Minister or Governor.
- A public interest litigation filed by advocate Girish Bharadwaj was mentioned for listing on Tuesday and asks the court to quash the September 8 order and grant interim relief because the order remains in effect across state departments.
- The petition argues the national song falls under Parliament’s exclusive domain and cites Entry 97 of the Union List and Article 248 to say a state executive order cannot alter a centrally prescribed national symbol.
- The PIL also alleges procedural lapses, saying the Karnataka Cabinet decision came after an informal discussion without a formal Cabinet note or Law Department advice in breach of the Transaction of Business Rules, 1977.
- The dispute has produced immediate political reaction, including a BJP MLA walking out of a programme, and raises a wider question for the courts about uniformity after Parliament extended statutory protection to the National Song in the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Act, 2026.