Not singing all Vande Mataram stanzas should not be a crime: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has observed that a person who does not sing all or some stanzas of Vande Mataram should not face criminal action if the decision stems from a genuine conscientious objection.

The observations came while the court was hearing a plea filed by carnatic vocalist TM Krishna, who has challenged the constitutional validity of provisions dealing with Vande Mataram and the government's directions on singing its complete version.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V Mohana referred to the Supreme Court's earlier judgment in Bijoe Emmanuel v State of Kerala.