Sedition Has No Room in Modern Democracies, Time for The Law to Be Repealed
The law has been misused and abused several times even though convictions are extremely rare.
Representative image. Photo: Reuters
Rights26/Jul/2021
I must begin this piece with my compliments to those who have filed the recent petition in the Supreme Court challenging the role of Section 124A of the IPC, a colonial law which made sedition a crime, in democratic India.
Sedition, it must be emphasised, is no simple crime. Whoever âbrings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards the government established by law in India shall be punished with imprisonment for life to which fine may be added, or with imprisonment which may extend to three years, to which fine may be added, or with fine.â This is a serious offence. And yet, the charge is treated lightly by the police and the prosecution.
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View: Path to striking down sedition law still has many hurdles
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Last Updated: Jul 18, 2021, 09:53 AM IST
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Synopsis
There is little doubt that the law of sedition, as it stands, is an invitation for State repression. The language of the Section (124A of IPC) is extremely broad, punishing “disaffection” or “hatred” of the government.
Agencies
Earlier this week, in the course of oral arguments at the Supreme Court, the Chief Justice of India questioned the continuing utility of the law of sedition. These observations came during the hearing of a constitutional challenge to the law. They have, therefore, raised hopes that sedition, first inserted into the Indian Penal Code in 1870 by the colonial government, and used uninterruptedly for the last 150 years to persecute dissidents, whatever their hue, might eventually be struck down by the court.