No proposal to scrap sedition law, Kiren Rijju informs Lok Sabha

While replying to questions raised in Lok Sabha on Friday, Union Minister of Law and Justice Kiren Rijju said that there is no proposal under consideration to scrap Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, which deals with sedition and that its adjudication is pending before the Supreme Court.

New Delhi: Union Minister of Law and Justice Kiren Rijju on Friday informed the Lok Sabha that the government has no proposal under consideration to scrap Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, which deals with sedition and that its adjudication is pending before the Supreme Court.

The law minister gave his reply to questions raised in the Lower House which sought to know if the government is planning to strike down or amend this provision and if the top court has sought response from the Centre on its necessity and validity as it is misused for making people suffer.

"Whether Supreme Court has recently termed the sedition law as colonial and has made an observation that it is being misused, if so, the details thereof," asked M Badaruddin Ajmal of All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF).

"No such observations have been found in any judgement/order delivered by the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India. However, in Writ Petition(Criminal) No. 217/2021, M/s Aamoda Broadcasting Company Pvt. Ltd and Another vs The State of Andhra Pradesh and others, the Hon'ble Supreme Court vide its order dated 3105.2021, under para(3) has inter alia observed that the ambit and parameters of the provisions of Sections 124A,153A and 505 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, would require interpretation, particularly in the context of the right of the electronic and print media to communicate news, information and the rights, even those that may be critical of the prevailing regime in any part of the nation," said Rijju.

Further, he said that the top court has issued notice to the Centre over a plea seeking a declaration of 124A as unconstitutional and void and has granted time to the government to file an affidavit regarding the matter.

Section 124A of the IPC says, "Whoever, by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise, brings 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.