CHENNAI: The Centre on Monday informed the Madras High Court that it has not issued any direction to Tamil Nadu on the order of the state song, Tamil Thai Vaazhthu, to be recited in official functions and ceremonies even as the Tamil Nadu State Legislative Assembly passed a resolution on placing the state invocation song to be placed ahead of the national song Vande Mataram and the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana.
The submission was made by Additional Solicitor General (ASG) AR L Sundaresan, representing the Centre, before the first bench of Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan when a public interest litigation filed by Ananya Radhakrishnan, of Royapettah in Chennai, seeking protocol guidelines for reciting Tamil Thai Vaazthu first in official functions came up for hearing.
“The Centre issued a clarification on August 9, 2026 making clear that the direction was for singing the national song first followed by the national anthem if both are sung,” he said.
The ASG explained that the Centre has not issued any directions as to when the state song shall be sung.
The bench adjourned the hearing by a week as sought by the counsel for the petitioner.
The song rendered at the commencement of official State functions and constitutional ceremonies and is not relegated to a position subsequent to Vande Mataram or the National Anthem.