the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Act 2026 introduced in the Rajya Sabha

REGISTERED NO. DL-(N)04/0007/2003-26 The Gazette of India CG-DL-E-24072026-274790 EXTRAORDINARY PART II—Section 2 PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY No. 14] NEW DELHI, FRIDAY, JULY 24, 2026/SHRAVANA 2, 1948 (Saka) Separate paging is given to this Part in order that it may be filed as a separate compilation. RAJYA SABHA The following Bill has been introduced in the Rajya Sabha on the 24th July, 2026:— BILL NO. LIX OF 2026 A Bill further to amend the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971. BE it enacted by Parliament in the Seventy-seventh Year of the Republic of India as follows:- 1. This Act may be called the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Act, 2026. 2. In the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, for section 3, the following section shall be substituted, namely:- Short title. Amendment of Act 69 of 1971. Preventing or disturbing singing of National Anthem or National Song. “3. Whoever, intentionally— (a) prevents the singing of the National Anthem or the National Song; or (b) causes disturbance to any 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.". STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS The Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971 (the said Act), inter alia, provides that any act of intentionally preventing the singing of the National Anthem or causing disturbance to any assembly engaged in such singing constitutes a punishable offence. 2. At the meeting of the Constituent Assembly held on the 24th January, 1950, its President, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, stated that the song Vande Mataram composed by, Shri Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, which played a historic role in the Indian freedom struggle, shall be honoured equally with 'Jana-Gana-Mana' and shall have equal status with it. 3. Presently, there is no specific legal provision to prevent insults to the singing of Vande Mataram, which is honoured as the National Song. Therefore, in order to prohibit any person from intentionally preventing the singing of the National Song (Vande Mataram) or causing disturbance to any assembly engaged in such singing, it is proposed to amend section 3 of the said Act to include the National Song also within its ambit, so as to make such acts punishable. 4. The Bill seeks to achieve the above objectives. NEW DELHI; The 10th July, 2026. AMIT SHAH. P.C. MODY, Secretary-General.