Madras High Court Clears Path for 'Tamil Thai Vazhthu' to Lead Government Functions

The Madras High Court clarified during a public interest litigation filed by Ananya Radhakrishnan that there is no bar on singing the Tamil anthem 'Tamil Thai Vazhthu' first at government functions in Tamil Nadu, despite a Union Home Ministry circular dated January 28. The court noted that a July 9 notification mandates Vande Mataram and the National Anthem to be sung consecutively but does not stipulate the position of state anthems. This clarification came amid political sensitivity over song order sequences at government functions in Tamil Nadu, including the swearing-in ceremony of Chief Minister Joseph Vijay where Vande Mataram was sung first, followed by the National Anthem and then 'Tamil Thai Vazhthu'.