Page 5 - Section 124a News Today

Section 124A of the IPC should be stayed by the Supreme Court if the top court decides to refer the case relating to its validity to a Constitution Bench, the petitioners in the sedition challenge case told apex court.

The court gave the Union government till Wednesday to file its reply on the matter.

The Solicitor General was responding to a statement by Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal on how former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru wanted to get rid of sedition law.

With the Centre making a U-turn on the sedition law after PM's intervention, here is why successive governments defended IPC Section 124A despite growing opposition to it over its misuse, acknowledged even by the top court.

Arun Shourie sought direction to declare the sedition law unconstitutional arguing that it is "heavily abused". Shourie in his plea had said that cases are being filed against citizens for "exercising their freedom of speech and expression". Sedition Law: Centre Tells Supreme Court That It Will Re-Examine, Reconsider Provisions of the Law.

The Central government has told the Supreme Court that the 1962 verdict of the top court in Kedar Nath Singh vs State of Bihar upholding validity of Section 124A of the IPC on sedition is binding on a 3-judge bench.

The Supreme Court will hear on May 10 arguments on whether the petitions challenging validity of sedition under Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has to be referred to a Constitution Bench.

The PIL seeks registration of FIR against Thackeray under offences of sedition, breach of peace, causing public nuisance and restraining order from organising press conferences on playing Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers

Section 124A is used to suppress liberty and stifle voice of dissent, will raise this issue in Parliament as Member of Rajya Sabha, Pawar added during his examination before the Commission of Inquiry for the 2018 case.

The Central government has sought another week's time to file a reply to the petitions challenging the constitutional validity of Section 124A IPC, which deals with Sedition.