What happened (Madras High Court dismissal of a PIL on State song order)
The Madras High Court dismissed a public interest litigation seeking directions on the order in which the Tamil State song should be played along with the national anthem and the national song. The PIL raised the complaint that “Tamil Thai Vazhthu” was not placed early enough during Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay’s swearing-in ceremony on May 10, 2026.
The Madras High Court’s core reason for dismissal was the change in the Union government’s guidance. The court said the Ministry’s revised circular dated July 9, 2026 left the placement and performance of the State song to the discretion of State governments. Based on that administrative position, the petitioner’s grievance did not require further judicial directions.
Background and earlier position (what the petition objected to)
The PIL specifically objected to the State song being pushed to third place after the national anthem and national song during the swearing-in ceremony on May 10, 2026 for Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay. The petitioner’s central concern was about ceremonial sequencing at a high-profile official event.
After the revised circular, Tamil Nadu issued an order reaffirming that “Tamil Thai Vazhthu” should be sung first at the start of official events such as events at educational institutions and government offices.
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