Bengaluru, Sep 22: Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has asked Chief Minister D K Shivakumar to reconsider the state government’s September 8 order restricting the rendition of the national song ‘Vande Mataram’ to its first two stanzas at state functions.
In a letter dated September 21, Gehlot said the order was contrary to the guidelines issued by the Centre for rendition of the national song and could raise constitutional questions concerning the respective executive powers of the Union and the state.
The Governor referred to the Ministry of Home Affairs’ orders prescribing the official version of ‘Vande Mataram’ and said the Central instructions did not leave scope for a state government to prescribe a different or truncated version for its official functions.
“The decision needs reconsideration in the light of Constitutional position, the Central government’s orders governing the national song, and the statutory developments during 2026,” Gehlot said in his communication.
He also cited the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Act, 2026, which extends statutory protection under Section 3 of the 1971 Act to ‘Vande Mataram’. The amended provision covers intentional prevention of the singing of the national song and intentional disturbance of an assembly engaged in such singing, according to the Centre’s explanation of the legislation.
Gehlot invoked Articles 73, 162, 256 and 257(1) of the Constitution while arguing that the state government could not independently prescribe a different national protocol through an executive order.
“The subject matter falls outside the legislative competence of the State. The State Executive cannot, merely by executive instruction, assume an independent power to prescribe a contrary national protocol,” he said.
The Governor further said that prescribing a truncated version of the national song could result in an avoidable constitutional dispute over the executive powers of the Union and the state.
“Such reconsideration would avoid unnecessary conflict between State government’s administrative instructions and the protocol prescribed by the Union government, and would also prevent avoidable Constitutional litigation on the respective executive powers of the Union and State,” he said.
The issue also led to a confrontation in the Karnataka Legislature on September 21, when the rendition of ‘Vande Mataram’ stopped after two stanzas. BJP and JD(S) legislators subsequently sang the full version of the song.
The Congress has maintained its position in favour of the two-stanza rendition at state functions.
The Governor has urged the state government to examine the September 8 order in light of the 2026 amendment, the MHA’s instructions and the relevant constitutional provisions.
