India, March 25 -- The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to entertain a petition challenging the Union government's instructions on the playing and singing of the national song Vande Mataram, observing that the January 28 circular for it was purely "advisory in nature" and imposed "no legal obligation" or penal consequences for non-compliance.

A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi termed the plea "premature" and founded on "vague apprehension of discrimination", noting that there was no material to show any coercive action or discrimination flowing from the Union home ministry's circular.

"What is mandatory? Nothing is mandatory. It is just an advisory," remarked the bench during...