Story perspectives

Supreme Court to hear challenges to six-stanza Vande Mataram

By Drooid · Oct 27, 2026, 4:27 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Supreme Court agreed to hear petitions challenging the six-stanza Vande Mataram requirement.
Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana issued notice to the Union government.
Petitioners Bhimrao Duryodhan Borkar and Balakrishnan Sathyabhama Mavoji argue the orders replace a 79-year-old two-stanza song.
They claim the six-stanza version contains explicit anti-Muslim invective and violates secularism.
The bench set a hearing for November 30, 2026, recalling the 1986 Bijoe Emmanuel judgment.

History

Historical Context

In 1986, the Supreme Court of India delivered the Bijoe Emmanuel judgment, affirming that a student could not be expelled for refusing the national anthem. Chief Justice R.S. Sarkaria, joined by Justices A.N. Ray and P.N. Bhagwati, emphasized secularism while protecting the 12-year-old’s constitutional rights. Today, Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana hear petitions from Bhimrao Duryodhan Borkar and Balakrishnan Sathyabhama Mavoji challenging a six-stanza Vande Mataram amendment. The court’s decision will shape India’s secular framework, influencing future anthem policies and the balance between tradition and minority rights.

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Story summary

Supreme Court agreed to hear petitions challenging the six-stanza Vande Mataram requirement.
Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana issued notice to the Union government.
Petitioners Bhimrao Duryodhan Borkar and Balakrishnan Sathyabhama Mavoji argue the orders replace a 79-year-old two-stanza song.
They claim the six-stanza version contains explicit anti-Muslim invective and violates secularism.
The bench set a hearing for November 30, 2026, recalling the 1986 Bijoe Emmanuel judgment.

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