President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday gave her official assent to The Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, officially turning the legislation into law. The new Act elevates the national song, Vande Mataram, granting it the exact same legal protections previously reserved exclusively for the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana.
The legislation was previously cleared by the Rajya Sabha on July 29, followed by the Lok Sabha on July 30.
Key Legal Changes and Penalties
Prior to this amendment, the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act only penalized disrespect toward the national anthem. Under the updated Section 3 of the Act, intentional disruption or insult toward Vande Mataram is now a criminal offence.
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First Offence: Up to 3 years of imprisonment, a fine, or both for intentionally preventing the singing of the national song or causing a disturbance to a gathering singing it.
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Repeat Offence: A mandatory minimum sentence of 1 year of imprisonment upon a second or subsequent conviction.
Historical Context & New Official Protocols
The Bill cites the landmark directive by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, President of the Constituent Assembly, on January 24, 1950, which declared that Vande Mataram played a historic role in the freedom struggle and should be honored equally alongside Jana Gana Mana.
This legislative milestone follows a series of protocol updates issued by the Union Home Ministry earlier this year:
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Order of Performance: Whenever both are performed at official functions, ‘Vande Mataram’ must be played or sung first, followed by the national anthem.
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Duration & Stanzas: All six stanzas of the national song—lasting approximately 3 minutes and 10 seconds—are to be sung.
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Decorum: Assemblies must stand at attention during its singing, and all school days are directed to commence with its community singing.
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Red Fort Debut: For the first time, Vande Mataram will be sung from the ramparts of the Red Fort during the upcoming Independence Day ceremony.
