Bengaluru, April 9 -- The Karnataka High Court on Thursday dismissed a public interest litigation challenging a Central government advisory that recommended schools to sing all six stanzas of the national song Vande Mataram, observing that the directive was not mandatory.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice CM Poonacha declined to entertain the plea, noting that the union Ministry of Home Affairs advisory used the word "may," indicating that institutions were not obligated to follow it.
The Court emphasised that there was no statutory mandate governing the rendition of the national song.
The Bench also underlined the distinction between the national anthem and the national song, stating that while the anthem is gove...