Vande Mataram law challenge: TM Krishna questions penal provision; sharp exchanges between SG Mehta, Muralidhar over 'Naxalite' remark

Parmod Kumar New Delhi, Sep 22 (UNI) The Supreme Court on Tuesday witnessed sharp exchanges between former Orissa High Court Chief Justice and senior advocate S. Muralidhar and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta over the latter's use of the expression "Naxalite" during the hearing of a challenge to the constitutional validity of a 2026 amendment to the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, which makes intentionally preventing the singing of Vande Mataram or disrupting an assembly engaged in its singing punishable with imprisonment of up to three years. The exchanges took place before a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya…