On Tuesday, 11th August, President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, giving Vande Mataram the same legal protection as the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana. With the President’s approval, the Bill has now become law.
Vande Mataram is now protected by law and President Murmu has made it official | President Droupadi Murmu has given her assent to the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, giving Vande Mataram the same statutory legal protection as the National Anthem… pic.twitter.com/GsXnRbvoiV
— Economic Times (@EconomicTimes) August 11, 2026
The Parliament had passed the Bill last month as an amendment to the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971. The new law makes it an offence to intentionally stop the singing of Vande Mataram or disturb an assembly while the national song is being sung. Such offences can now lead to up to three years in prison, a fine, or both.
Until now, the 1971 law specifically covered the national anthem. It made intentionally stopping the singing of Jana Gana Mana or creating a disturbance during its singing punishable by imprisonment of up to three years, a fine, or both. A second or later conviction carried a minimum one-year jail term.
The amendment now brings Vande Mataram under the same legal protection. The Bill said there was no specific provision to prevent deliberate disruption or stopping of the national song and proposed adding it to Section 3 of the Act.
The legislation also recalled the importance of Vande Mataram in India’s freedom struggle. On 24th January, 1950, Constituent Assembly President Dr Rajendra Prasad said the song, written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, would be honoured equally with Jana Gana Mana.
The legal change comes as the Union government has introduced new rules for singing the national song. Under a Home Ministry order issued on 28th January, all six stanzas of Vande Mataram, lasting around 3 minutes and 10 seconds, are to be sung at official functions such as the President’s arrival, flag unfurling and governors’ speeches.
When Vande Mataram and Jana Gana Mana are played together, the national song will come first, and people present are expected to stand at attention.
The Home Ministry has also said that, for the first time, Vande Mataram will be sung from the Red Fort during this year’s Independence Day function. In schools, the day’s activities are also to begin with community singing of the national song.
