The Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Act, 2026 has received the assent of the President, bringing the National Song ‘Vande Matram’ at par with the National Anthem for the purposes of penal protection under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971. The Amendment Act was published in the Gazette of India on August 6, 2026.
The amendment substitutes Section 3 of the 1971 Act to make it an offence to intentionally prevent the singing of the National Song or the National Anthem, or cause disturbance to an assembly engaged in such singing. Earlier, the penal provision extended only to the National Anthem.
Under the amended provision, any person who intentionally:
- prevents the singing of the National Anthem or the National Song, or
- causes disturbance to an assembly engaged in such singing,
shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.