Hearing Regarding Sedition Law Will Now Be Held On May 10 In Supreme Court; Guidelines Are Necessary, Says The Central Government

New Delhi, 5th May 2022: The petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the provision of punishment for sedition under Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) were heard in the Supreme Court on Wednesday. Attorney General KK Venugopal said that there is a need for guidelines on the sedition law not to be abolished. “What is permissible under the law, what is unacceptable and what can come under sedition, needs to be seen,” the attorney general said.
At the same time, the Solicitor General said that the case challenging the constitutional validity of the sedition law needs time to file its reply. He said the draft response to the sedition law has been prepared by lawyers. He requested the court to adjourn the hearing to allow the government to file its reply. The matter will be heard again on May 10 on the application of the Central Government.
During the last hearing held on April 27, the top court of the country had fixed the date of today i.e. May 5 to respond to the Central Government. A bench of Chief Justice NV Ramana, Justice Surya Kant and Justice Hima Kohli had then said that no further adjournment would be granted in the matter. The court had said that it would not entertain any request for an adjournment.
The Center has filed an affidavit in this matter in court. The central government said that its draft is ready and it is waiting for confirmation from the competent authority. Concerned over the misuse of the penal law relating to sedition, the apex court had in July last year asked the central government why it was not repealing a provision that was used by the British to suppress the freedom movement and silence people like Mahatma Gandhi. The court had said that its main concern was the misuse of law due to which the number of cases was increasing.
During a hearing in July last year, the Chief Justice had said, “It is a colonial law. This was to suppress the freedom movement. This law was used by the British to silence Mahatma Gandhi, Bal Gangadhar Tilak. Is it necessary even after 75 years of independence?”
The petitioners include former Union Minister Arun Shourie, journalist Kishorechandra Wangkhemcha from Manipur and Kanhaiya Lal Shukla from Chhattisgarh.