Vande Mataram row reaches Supreme Court over six stanzas, Centre asked to respond within 2 weeks

The Supreme Court on Tuesday heard a petition challenging the Centre's decision concerning the official rendition of Vande Mataram and the requirement to sing all six stanzas. The court has sought the Centre's response within two weeks and indicated that the question of whether failure to sing the National Song can attract legal or criminal punishment needs to be examined. The hearing saw arguments over the extent to which the government can prescribe the rendition of Vande Mataram and whether provisions imposing any consequences for not singing it require judicial scrutiny.