The Madras High Court administration has decided to play the national song Vande Mataram before the national anthem during the Independence Day celebrations at its principal seat in Chennai, the Madurai Bench, and all district judicial units, both in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on Saturday (August 15, 2026).

According to a circular issued by the High Court’s Registrar General Deepthi Arivunithi, the decision to include the singing/playing of the national song during the celebrations had been taken in view of the advisory issued by the Centre under the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga Campaign 2026’ to commemorate 150 years of Vande Mataram.

The circular stated the instruction would apply equally to the celebrations to be held on the Tamil Nadu Judicial Academy campus in Chennai as well as its regional centres in Madurai and Coimbatore. Listing out the sequence, it said, the national song must be played first, followed by the hoisting of the national flag and then the playing/singing of the national anthem.

Concern over Tamil Thai Vazhthu

However, the absence of any mention of the playing/singing of the State song Tamil Thai Vazhthu in the circular had become a cause of concern among a section of the legal fraternity. The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court Bar Association (MMBA) has written to the Registrar General, expressing its concerns.

“It is a long-standing convention that in all the programmes conducted by the honourable High Court, the function will start by playing/singing the Tamil Thai Vazhthu,” the association said. It highlighted a Government Order issued on August 12, 2026, making it mandatory to sing/play the State song during specific events.

“Tamil Thai Vazhthu is not merely a song but an enduring symbol of Tamil identity, language, culture and heritage of Tamil Nadu. The Madras High Court, being one of the foremost constitutional institutions of Tamil Nadu, has a special responsibility to uphold the dignity of the State, its Constitutional values and its rich linguistic and cultural heritage... Therefore, we request you to include the State song in the events of Independence Day celebrations,” the communication sent by MMBA general secretary P. Jessi Jeeva Priya read.

Published - August 14, 2026 02:51 pm IST