The Supreme Court has said that people will not be obliged to stand up for the national anthem, if it is being played as part of the film or documentary.

The apex court had ruled earlier that it is mandatory to play the National Anthem inside the movie halls. People are not given clarity whether it is mandatory to stand up in respect of the Anthem. This led to confusion and in many case had risked the harassment of individuals for not standing up.

On December 1 last year, Apex Court bench of Justices Dipak Misra and Amitav Roy had stated that the ruling is to instill “committed patriotism and nationalism” among the public.

“The directions are issued, for love and respect for the motherland is reflected when one shows respect to the National Anthem as well as to the National Flag. That apart, it would instill the feeling within one, a sense committed patriotism and nationalism,” the bench had said.

The apex court’s ruling comes in the light of an incident in which a 59-year-old man from Mumbai was thrashed by a group in a cinema hall, for not rising when the national anthem was being played during the film ‘Dangal’.

By Premji