New Delhi: The Supreme Court this morning modified an order that made it mandatory to play the National Anthem in cinemas, saying the playing of the Anthem must be left to the discretion of the cinema owners.

However, patrons have to mandatorily show respect in case the cinema does play the Anthem, the SC added. A person who stands up shows proper respect, it further said. A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said a 12-member inter-Ministerial Committee, set up by the Centre, would take a final call on the playing of National Anthem in the cinemas.

On Nov. 30, 2016, a Supreme Court Bench led by Justice Dipak Misra, before he became the Chief Justice of India, had directed that “all cinema halls in India shall play the National Anthem before the feature film starts and all present in the hall are obliged to stand up to show respect to the National Anthem.”