The playing of the national anthem before the screening of movies should not be made compulsory for now, the government told the Supreme Court on Monday.
The final decision on the issue can be taken once a ministrial panel comes up with its guidelines on this, the centre insisted.
Filing an affidavit in the apex court, the government said that it had appointed an inter-ministerial committee to frame guidelines for playing of national anthem at public places and pleaded the court to restore the status prevalent before November 2016.
The apex court had on November 30, 2016 directed that all cinema halls must play national anthem before screening of films saying that "it would instill the feeling within one, a sense committed patriotism and nationalism".
