HC upholds tune prescribed by govt. to sing State anthem in speci ed places

Prescribing a particular raaga/tune for singing the State anthem in speci ed places such as schools and o cials events of the government and its agencies, cannot be termed as either arbitrary or unreasonable, says the High Court

Prescribing a particular raaga/tune for singing the Naada Geethe (State anthem), Jaya Bharatha Jananiya Tanujaate, in speci ed places such as schools and o cials events of the government and its agencies, cannot be termed as either arbitrary or unreasonable, the High Court of Karnataka has said.

Condition to sing the State anthem in a particular tune does not amount to unreasonable restriction as it is not universal in the sense that everyone, everywhere and at every time, if one desires to sing this song, has to do it in the State government speci ed tune, the court said, while pointing out that the condition is con ned only to speci ed places like all types of schools, and o cial events of the government and its agencies.

Justice Krishna S. Dixit passed the order while dismissing a petition led by singer Kikkeri Krishna Murthy. The petitioner had questioned the legality of the State government’s September 25, 2022, noti cation prescribing that the State anthem should be sung in the tune composed by the late Mysore Ananthaswamy within the time limit of two minutes and 30 seconds without any repetitions or aalapas.

The court noted that the government’s noti cation does not impinge the petitioner or others to sing this song, penned by Rashtrakavi Kuvempu, in any tune of their choice at any time except in speci ed places on speci ed occasions.

“If singing the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana, in a particular tune is imperative, drawing an analogy from the same one can without the risk of contradiction state that singing the State anthem in a speci ed raaga cannot be faltered,” the court observed while noticing that the government has xed the tune for singing the State anthem at speci ed places based on a recommendation made by a panel of experts.

“The petitioner could not demonstrate his right to sing the State anthem in speci ed places like schools and functions of the government and its bodies in a tune composed by late C. Ashwath or such other stalwarts, in variance with the one speci ed,” the court said. The petitioner had contended that Ananthaswamy had not composed the full tune to the anthem but had been singing in the full tune composed by Ashwath.