Madras High Court clarifies no bar on Tamil anthem being sung first

The Madras High Court has clarified that there is no bar on singing Tamil Thai Vazhthu first at government functions in Tamil Nadu, saying a recent Union Home Ministry notification does not require the state anthem to be placed after the National Anthem.

The clarification came during the hearing of a public interest litigation filed by Chennai-based Ananya Radhakrishnan, who sought directions to ensure that government functions in the state begin with Tamil Thai Vazhthu.

The petitioner argued that beginning functions with Tamil Thai Vazhthu and concluding them with the National Anthem had been a longstanding practice in Tamil Nadu. She also sought the quashing of a January 28 Union Home Ministry circular, which she claimed required functions to begin with Vande Mataram.

Representing the Centre, counsel referred to a July 9 notification, saying it requires Vande Mataram and the National Anthem to be sung consecutively, with Vande Mataram preceding the National Anthem. The Centre also told the court that the notification makes no mention of state anthems and does not require Tamil Thai Vazhthu to be sung last.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murughan noted that the sequence was followed at the Madras High Court on Independence Day, when Tamil Thai Vazhthu was sung first, followed by Vande Mataram and the National Anthem.

The issue has become politically sensitive in Tamil Nadu, where the state anthem has traditionally been played at the beginning of government functions. The Tamil Nadu Assembly recently passed a resolution seeking to make Tamil Thai Vazhthu the first song at government, educational and public sector functions.

The court reserved its orders on the petition.