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The Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026 amends Section 3 of the 1971 Act to extend to the National Song, Vande Mataram, the same legal protection currently given only to the National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana.
It becomes an offence to intentionally prevent the singing of Vande Mataram, or to disturb an assembly singing it — punishable, as under the existing Section 3, with imprisonment up to three years, a fine, or both (minimum one year for repeat offences under Section 3A).
The Bill's Statement of Objects cites Constituent Assembly President Dr Rajendra Prasad's 24 January 1950 statement that Vande Mataram should be honoured equally with Jana Gana Mana.
It was passed by the Rajya Sabha on 29 July 2026 and the Lok Sabha on 30 July 2026.
Penalises insulting the National Flag or the Constitution in public (up to 3 years' imprisonment/fine/both); bona fide criticism seeking lawful amendment is exempted
Penalised intentionally preventing the singing of the National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana, or disturbing an assembly singing it
Enhanced minimum one-year imprisonment for repeat offences under Sections 2 or 3
Substitutes Section 3 to cover BOTH the National Anthem and the National Song, Vande Mataram, with the same offence and punishment structure; punishment itself is unchanged
India has both a National Anthem (Jana Gana Mana, adopted by the Constituent Assembly on 24 January 1950) and a National Song (Vande Mataram, given equal honour by the same Constituent Assembly session but without a formal constitutional Article). Until this 2026 amendment, only the National Anthem enjoyed statutory protection against intentional disruption under Section 3 of the 1971 Act.
Simple Analogy: Two symbols were always meant to be honoured equally in spirit, but only one had a matching legal shield until this amendment closed the gap
GS Paper 2 > Polity > National Symbols and their legal protection
With reference to the Parliament of India, consider the following statements: 1. A private member's bill is a bill presented by a Member of Parliament who is not elected but only nominated by the President of India. 2. Recently, a private member's bill has been passed in the Parliament of India for the first time in its history. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Answer: Neither 1 nor 2
Which of the following Indian Acts was passed in the year 2005?
Answer: The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act
High — live legislation in the current Parliament session
Provision (added 2003) enforcing a minimum one-year sentence for repeat offences under Sections 2 or 3 of the 1971 Act