Supreme Court says audience need not stand when National Anthem played in films

The apex court had on November 30 last year ordered cinema halls across the nation to mandatorily play the National Anthem before screening of a movie.

File photo of the Supreme Court. | PTI 

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday clarified that the audience need not stand when the National Anthem is being played as part of the storyline of a film or documentary.

A Bench of Justices Dipak Misra and R Banumathi made this clear after a petitioner requested the apex court’s stand on the matter.

The Bench has fixed the matter for further hearing on April 18. 
The apex court had on November 30 last year ordered cinema halls across the nation to mandatorily play the National Anthem before screening of a movie and the audience was ordered to stand and show respect to the National Anthem. 

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