The Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that it was not mandatory to play the national anthem inside cinema halls. The top Court modified its earlier order directing that playing of national anthem in Cinema halls was not mandatory.
It noted the Centre’s Narendra Modi government’s submission about the Committee which has been constituted to decide on all aspects relating to national anthem, reporter Bar and Bench.
National Anthem: Supreme Court modifies earlier order, directs playing of National Anthem in Cinema halls is not mandatory. Notes Centre's submission about Committee which has been constituted to decide on all aspects relating to National Anthem. Petition disposed of.
— Bar & Bench (@barandbench) January 9, 2018
This was after the Modi government on Monday took a U-turn while suggesting the Supreme Court that there was no need to make it mandatory for cinema halls to play the national anthem before screening of a feature film.
The government had said that an inter-ministerial committee had been set up to frame guidelines outlining circumstances and occasions on which the national anthem is to be played or sung, reported PTI. The government added that observance of proper decorum on such occasions required extensive consultations.
The government had advised the apex court to “consider the restoration of status quo ante until then i.e restoration of the position as it stood before the order passed by this court on November 30, 2016” making the playing of the National Anthem mandatory in all cinemas before the feature film starts.
The Supreme Court’s bench, which had Chief Justice Deepak Misra in it, had asked the Centre in October last year to consider amending the rules for regulating playing of the national anthem in the theatres.
The decision, widely condemned by civil society members, had led to physical torture of several disable people, who simply could not stand up for the national anthem. The top court had said that it will not allow the government to “shoot from its shoulder” and asked it to take a call either way on the issue of regulating the playing the anthem. And yet, it left the decision to the government on whether the court should modify or reverse its order.