Congress manifesto promises to do away with British-era sedition law
5 years, 9 months ago

Congress manifesto promises to do away with British-era sedition law

India Today  

Congress has promised to review and amend a host of laws, rules and regulations and among them is the contentious British-era law of Section 124A of IPC that defines sedition. Under the rules, laws and regulations section in the manifesto, Congress states, Omit Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code that has been misused and, in any event, has become redundant because of subsequent laws. Last year, at least five human-rights activists were put behind the bars or put under house arrest under the sedition law over allegations of them inciting violence at the Bhima-Koregaon rally by Dalits. The sedition law has brought wrath against both the present Modi government as well as the previous UPA governments as the British era law was never done away with by any of the governments in the country’s history of 70 years since Independence.

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History of this topic

Human Rights Organisations Condemn Criminal Complaint Against Mohammed Zubair
1 month ago

Human Rights Organisations Condemn Criminal Complaint Against Mohammed Zubair

The Quint  

The FIR cites seven different legal provisions, including section 66 of the IT Act and different sections of the BNS, the 2023 reform of India’s penal code, which was passed during British colonial rule. Section 152 states that anyone who “excites or attempts to excite, secession or armed rebellion or subversive activities, or encourages feelings of separatist activities or endangers …

Activist Sharjeel Imam granted bail in 2020 sedition case, to remain in jail
7 months, 2 weeks ago

Activist Sharjeel Imam granted bail in 2020 sedition case, to remain in jail

India Today  

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday granted bail to activist Sharjeel Imam in a sedition case relating to alleged inflammatory speeches made by him on the Citizenship Amendment Act. A division bench of Justices Suresh Kumar Kait and Manoj Jain granted bail to Sharjeel after taking into account the fact that he had already served half of the sentence for …

Sharjeel Imam calls his Delhi Riot speech 'Gandhian', police opposes bail plea
9 months, 3 weeks ago

Sharjeel Imam calls his Delhi Riot speech 'Gandhian', police opposes bail plea

Op India  

On Tuesday, the Delhi Police opposed the bail plea of Sharjeel Imam filed in the Delhi High Court. The bail plea was submitted in a sedition and Unlawful Activities Prevention Act case filed against Sharjeel Imam for his provocative speeches in Jamia Millia Islamia University and Aligarh Muslim University during anti-CAA protests in Delhi on December 13, 2019, and January …

India repeals outdated British-era sedition law. Experts call it a ‘repackaging’ exercise
1 year, 5 months ago

India repeals outdated British-era sedition law. Experts call it a ‘repackaging’ exercise

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy India’s outdated British-era sedition law …

Rise of sedition cases in Karnataka
2 years, 4 months ago

Rise of sedition cases in Karnataka

The Hindu  

Karnataka had the ignominy of recording the highest number of sedition cases in the country — 22 against 25 individuals in 2019. Here are a few prominent cases: Bidar school case In 2020, the Bidar police filed a sedition case against teachers, parents of Shaheen school for organising a play against CAA-NRC, in which the Prime Minister was allegedly insulted. …

After Supreme Court's order on sedition, Delhi riots accused Sharjeel Imam seeks bail
2 years, 8 months ago

After Supreme Court's order on sedition, Delhi riots accused Sharjeel Imam seeks bail

India Today  

The Delhi riots accused Sharjeel Imam on Thursday approached the Delhi High Court seeking bail, a day after the Supreme court direction which asked the accused who were slapped with sedition charges to approach designated courts for bail. The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed the use of the sedition law and directed the Centre and states not to register any …

Amnesty hails Supreme Court’s decision to suspend sedition law
2 years, 8 months ago

Amnesty hails Supreme Court’s decision to suspend sedition law

The Hindu  

Amnesty International India on Wednesday said the Supreme Court’s decision to suspend the sedition law was a welcome step and that the government should repeal the law. In a statement, the chair of AII’s board, Aakar Patel, said: “We welcome the Supreme Court’s order to suspend the sedition law until the Government of India re-examines the 152-year-old provision. For far …

From Disha Ravi to Arundhati Roy, Supreme Court sedition law stay to impact several high-profile cases
2 years, 8 months ago

From Disha Ravi to Arundhati Roy, Supreme Court sedition law stay to impact several high-profile cases

India TV News  

Highlights Disha Ravi, was arrested on February 14, 2021 for allegedly helping the farmers on Farm Laws protest JNU student union president Kanhaiya Kumar was charged under section 124A of IPC Journalist Siddique Kappan was also charged with sedition while reporting on the Hathras Rape Case In the wake of the Supreme Court order staying the registration of FIRs, ongoing …

India top court puts colonial-era sedition law on hold for review
2 years, 8 months ago

India top court puts colonial-era sedition law on hold for review

Al Jazeera  

Rights groups and even the Supreme Court have spoken out about rampant misuse of the law against activists, writers and students. India’s Supreme Court has barred the government from using a colonial-era sedition law that critics say is often used to stifle dissent, pending a review. The Law Commission of India and even the Supreme Court have at various times …

Explained: How successive state and central governments have defended sedition law in the past
2 years, 8 months ago

Explained: How successive state and central governments have defended sedition law in the past

Firstpost  

From the Aseem Trivedi case of 2012 to the Rana couple incident of 2022, different parties have used the contentious legislation and defended it, despite opposition from other corners After calling sedition a “good law” and telling the Supreme Court that there was no need to strike it down, the Centre on Monday climbed down from its previous stance, saying …

Explained: India’s ‘colonial’ Sedition law - origins, govt abuse & courts’ take on it
2 years, 8 months ago

Explained: India’s ‘colonial’ Sedition law - origins, govt abuse & courts’ take on it

The Hindu  

Sedition is once again the subject of debate as the Supreme Court Court is hearing pleas challenging it. The apex court had first issued a notice to the Centre in July 2021 about the challenge to the legality of Section 124A Indian Penal Code, which criminalises sedition. Drafted by British historian-politician Thomas Babington Macaulay in 1837, sedition was defined as …

SC to hear pleas to scrap the sedition law today: Explaining the British-era offence and how it's being 'misused'
2 years, 8 months ago

SC to hear pleas to scrap the sedition law today: Explaining the British-era offence and how it's being 'misused'

Firstpost  

The Apex court last year had asked the Centre why it was not repealing the colonial-era law used by the British to silence people like Mahatma Gandhi to suppress the freedom movement, as it expressed concern over the misuse of the provision A Supreme Court bench is scheduled to hear on Wednesday a batch of petitions challenging the constitutional validity …

Navneet, Ravi Rana charged with sedition: A look at cases when Maharashtra govt invoked sedition
2 years, 8 months ago

Navneet, Ravi Rana charged with sedition: A look at cases when Maharashtra govt invoked sedition

India Today  

Independent MP from Amravati, Navneet Rana, and her husband, Ravi Rana, an MLA from Badnera constituency, have been arrested by the Khar police for creating enmity between two groups and sedition charges were invoked. Our concern is misuse of the law and no accountability of the Executive.” Here are some of the prominent sedition cases filed in Maharashtra: KANGANA RANAUT …

UP: Kashmiri students held over pro-Pak slogans booked for sedition, sent to 14-day judicial custody
3 years, 2 months ago

UP: Kashmiri students held over pro-Pak slogans booked for sedition, sent to 14-day judicial custody

India TV News  

Three Kashmiri students arrested in Agra for allegedly raising pro-Pakistan slogans were on Thursday booked for sedition, Uttar Pradesh Police officials said. The three students, two of them aged 20 and one 21, were also remanded in 14-day judicial custody by an Agra court, the officials said. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath earlier in the day had said the …

‘Sedition’ in freedom struggle
3 years, 5 months ago

‘Sedition’ in freedom struggle

The Hindu  

The history of India’s struggle for freedom from British rule is the history of the repressive laws of sedition in India. Language may be tolerated in England which it is unsafe to tolerate in India..” Sedition law in theory & practice Tilak’s two trials for sedition exposed the falsehoods in the apologies of the draftsmen of the offence of “sedition”, …

Sedition Law Hinders Full Realization Of Free Press: Journalists Patricia Mukhim and Anuradha Bhasin Move Supreme Court Against Section 124A IPC
3 years, 5 months ago

Sedition Law Hinders Full Realization Of Free Press: Journalists Patricia Mukhim and Anuradha Bhasin Move Supreme Court Against Section 124A IPC

Live Law  

Another petition has been filed before the Supreme Court challenging the constitutional validity of the offence of sedition as codified in Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code. The petition has been filed by two women journalists, Patricia Mukhim and Anuradha Bhasin, claiming that the use of sedition offence to intimidate, silence and punish journalists, has continued unrestrained and the …

Sedition law must be scrapped to secure the lives of citizens: Dushyant Dave
3 years, 6 months ago

Sedition law must be scrapped to secure the lives of citizens: Dushyant Dave

India Today  

The Supreme Court has described the British-era sedition law as colonial and asked the Centre whether the law is still necessary after 75 years of Independence. India Today TV Consulting Editor Rajdeep Sardesai spoke to senior Supreme Court advocate Dushyant Dave who said the sedition law must go to secure the lives of citizens. In today’s body politik, the law …

Supreme Court agrees to hear plea challenging sedition law
3 years, 8 months ago

Supreme Court agrees to hear plea challenging sedition law

India Today  

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a plea challenging the legal validity of Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code that deals with the offence of sedition. The sedition law has been challenged by two journalists -- Kishorechandra Wangkhemcha from Manipur and Kanhaiya Lal Shukla from Chhattisgarh -- on the grounds that the law violates the fundamental right of …

Will Govt Repeal Sedition Law, Asks Cong Citing Disha Case in Parl
3 years, 9 months ago

Will Govt Repeal Sedition Law, Asks Cong Citing Disha Case in Parl

The Quint  

In reply, MoS Reddy, said that it was only after they came to power that they are giving separate records of sedition as before all crimes were clubbed under Indian Penal Code. “You people used to hide the sedition cases within IPC cases only,” he said. He also listed out the number of cases and stated that even the respective …

A colonial relic: The Hindu Editorial on need to scrap sedition law
3 years, 10 months ago

A colonial relic: The Hindu Editorial on need to scrap sedition law

The Hindu  

A sessions court in Delhi has affirmed the belief that a dispassionate scrutiny of outlandish claims by the police is necessary for protecting the liberty of those jailed on flimsy, often political, reasons. Rejecting the purported evidence presented by the Delhi Police against climate change activist Disha Ravi, as “scanty and sketchy”, Judge Dharmender Rana has granted bail to the …

"Section 124A IPC Is A Threat To Fundamental Rights" : Plea In Supreme Court Challenges The Constitutional Validity Of Sedition Law
3 years, 11 months ago

"Section 124A IPC Is A Threat To Fundamental Rights" : Plea In Supreme Court Challenges The Constitutional Validity Of Sedition Law

Live Law  

A plea has been filed before the Supreme Court urging it to declare the law against Sedition under section 124-A of the Indian Penal Code as ultra-vires the Constitution of India. The petitioners, Advocates Aditya Ranjan, Varun Thakur and V. Elenchezhiyan, have filed the plea being aggrieved by the increased chilling effect of blatant misuse of section 124-A of IPC …

‘No govt ever invoked sedition after rape’: Congress to Yogi Adityanath
4 years, 3 months ago

‘No govt ever invoked sedition after rape’: Congress to Yogi Adityanath

Hindustan Times  

Demanding a judicial inquiry into the Hathras rape incident either by a sitting High Court judge or a Supreme Court judge, the Congress on Wednesday termed “bizarre” the response of the Uttar Pradesh government on the issue and alleged that it has been slapping sedition charges as if these were “pick-pocketing” cases. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday alleged that …

Activist Erendro Leichombam Booked for Sedition over Facebook Post against Manipur Rajya Sabha MP
4 years, 5 months ago

Activist Erendro Leichombam Booked for Sedition over Facebook Post against Manipur Rajya Sabha MP

News 18  

A case of sedition has been registered against political activist and convenor of Peoples Resurgence and Justice Alliance Erendro Leichombam over his ‘objectionable remarks’ on social media against newly elected Rajya Sabha MP from Manipur Leishemba Sanajaoba. In a video uploaded on Facebook, Wangkhem had reportedly called Chief Minister N Biren Singh “a puppet of PM Modi” - for celebrating …

Open Letter Invokes Art 19, Misuse of Sedition Law & Delhi Riots
4 years, 6 months ago

Open Letter Invokes Art 19, Misuse of Sedition Law & Delhi Riots

The Quint  

Referring to what happened in Karnataka, it added: “When, as happened in Karnataka, in consequence of a school play critical of the CAA a primary school teacher and the mother of a student are charged with sedition and two young children aged 9 and 10 are questioned by police over many days, this becomes a theatre of the absurd. The …

SC refuses to stay prosecution on Sharjeel Imam's sedition cases
4 years, 6 months ago

SC refuses to stay prosecution on Sharjeel Imam's sedition cases

Op India  

The Supreme Court today refused to stay the prosecution on sedition cases filed against radical Islamist, Sharjeel Imam, in 5 States clarifying that the plea before it is only for consolidation of FIRs. The apex court two-member bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and V Ramasubramanian was hearing a plea by JNU student Sharjeel Imam seeking to club all FIRs filed …

Facing criminal charges in several states, Sharjeel Imam seeks clubbing of all FIRs against him
4 years, 7 months ago

Facing criminal charges in several states, Sharjeel Imam seeks clubbing of all FIRs against him

Op India  

On Tuesday, the Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta had reportedly sought more time during the hearing of a petition filed by radical Islamist and sedition-accused Sharjeel Imam before the Supreme Court of India. Solicitor General Mehta also stated that the apex court should issues notices to the States of Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh, all the states …

Faking danger: on fighting fake news
4 years, 7 months ago

Faking danger: on fighting fake news

The Hindu  

The frequency with which journalists have been arrested since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic is quite disturbing. The reasons given by the police across India for arresting reporters and editors of news portals indicate that special provisions enacted to prevent the spread of rumour during disasters are being used to suppress reporting on political developments and possible governmental corruption. …

How the sedition law has become a weapon to muzzle dissent
4 years, 10 months ago

How the sedition law has become a weapon to muzzle dissent

India Today  

A week is fast becoming a long time without a sedition case being slapped on one pretext or another on Indian citizens. Although the sedition law, Section 124A, is an archaic one enshrined in the antiquated Indian Penal Code, the National Crime Records Bureau began recording data on this only in 2014. "Neither the sedition law, much less any other …

It is time for India and Pakistan to repeal their sedition laws
4 years, 10 months ago

It is time for India and Pakistan to repeal their sedition laws

Al Jazeera  

The laws that were created by the British Raj are still being used to stifle dissent on the Indian subcontinent. In December 2019, Pakistan’s government charged hundreds of people with sedition for taking part in the countrywide Students Solidarity March, which called for the restoration of student unions among other demands. A day later, police arrested and charged with sedition …

Delhi Police arrests Sharjeel Imam from Bihar's Jehanabad on sedition charges for 'cut Assam off' remark
4 years, 11 months ago

Delhi Police arrests Sharjeel Imam from Bihar's Jehanabad on sedition charges for 'cut Assam off' remark

Firstpost  

Delhi Police on Tuesday arrested Sharjeel Imam, a Jawaharlal Nehru University student booked in a sedition case, from Bihar’s Jehanabad. The PhD student has been booked in sedition cases lodged in five states for alleged “inflammatory” speeches made during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act. “We have arrested Sharjeel Imam from Jehanabad,” said Rajesh Deo, deputy commissioner of police, Crime …

Does sedition case stand against Sharjeel Imam: Legal experts weigh in
4 years, 11 months ago

Does sedition case stand against Sharjeel Imam: Legal experts weigh in

India Today  

A day after activist Sharjeel Imam was booked on the charges of sedition and inciting enmity between communities for allegedly delivering inflammatory speeches against the amended Citizenship Act and the National Register of Citizens, two more cases were filed against the JNU student on Monday. India Today TV spoke with some legal experts about sedition charges against Sharjeel Imam for …

Under fire for Assam remarks, another controversial speech of Sharjeel Imam surfaces
4 years, 11 months ago

Under fire for Assam remarks, another controversial speech of Sharjeel Imam surfaces

India Today  

After Delhi Police registered a case against Jawahar Lal Nehru University student and activist Sharjeel Imam for delivering inflammatory speeches, India Today is in possession of the video based on which Delhi Police has filed a case against him. The student activist, now an accused under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, Sharjeel Imam can be seen in the …

Nalini Balakumar's 'Free Kashmir' placard not an act of sedition; archaic law has no place in 21st Century India
4 years, 11 months ago

Nalini Balakumar's 'Free Kashmir' placard not an act of sedition; archaic law has no place in 21st Century India

Firstpost  

The Mysore Bar Association passed a resolution this week announcing that none of its members will represent the journalist student, Nalini Balakumar. She is currently facing sedition charges for holding a ‘Free Kashmir’ placard during a protest organised earlier this month, by the Dalit Students’ Association and Mysore University Research Students Association, in Mysuru. At the outset, the association’s resolution …

Jharkhand Police Drops Sedition Charge Against Anti-CAA Protesters; SP Seeks Explanation From Investigating Officer
5 years ago

Jharkhand Police Drops Sedition Charge Against Anti-CAA Protesters; SP Seeks Explanation From Investigating Officer

Live Law  

On Wednesday, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren took to Twitter to announce that steps had been taken to obliterate the charge of sedition, invoked against 3,000 people in Dhanbad district for participating in anti-CAA protests. "In Dhanbad, directions have been issued to scrap the charge of sedition imposed on 3000 people forthwith and proper action has been recommended against the guilty …

Activists, theatre artists in Jaipur protest over sedition case against 49 celebrities for open letter to Narendra Modi
5 years, 3 months ago

Activists, theatre artists in Jaipur protest over sedition case against 49 celebrities for open letter to Narendra Modi

Firstpost  

Activists condemned the filing of the sedition case against celebrities like Aparna Sen, Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Ramchandra Guha, Mani Ratnam, Anurag Kashyap and Revathi Jaipur: Activists, theatre artists and filmmakers staged a protest in the Pink city on Monday over registration of a sedition case against 49 celebrities after they had expressed concern over rising incidents of mob lynching in an …

'Facebook Post Not Seditious', CJM Imphal Refuses To Remand Manipur Student Leader To Police Custody [Read Order]
5 years, 10 months ago

'Facebook Post Not Seditious', CJM Imphal Refuses To Remand Manipur Student Leader To Police Custody [Read Order]

Live Law  

The Chief Judicial Magistrate, Imphal East has refused to remand Manipur student leader Veewon Thokchom to police custody in a case of sedition slapped against him over a Facebook post critical of Citizenship Amendment Bill. The CJM also allowed the bail application filed by Veewon.The Facebook post uploaded on February 13 which led to the case is as follows :"Indefinite …

Sedition charges slapped on 4 students for celebrating Pulwama attack
5 years, 10 months ago

Sedition charges slapped on 4 students for celebrating Pulwama attack

India Today  

Four female paramedical students have been slapped with sedition charges after being suspended from a private institute here for allegedly celebrating the Pulwama terror attack by posting "anti-national" messages on an instant messaging app, officials said Sunday. The second-year students of the National Institute of Medical Science, Talveen Manzoor, Iqra, Zohra Nazir and Uzma Nazir, were suspended for posting on …

Muffled voices
5 years, 11 months ago

Muffled voices

The Hindu  

T he space for dissent in Tamil Nadu, a supposedly progressive State, has shrunk to a significant extent. Early morning intrusions and late night arrests from our homes and fields are making Tamil Nadu an authoritarian State.” Draconian laws like the Unlawful Activities Act, the Goondas’ Act and Section 153 of the Indian Penal Code, which allow peremptory detention, come …

Hiren Gohain charged with sedition: By fighting for secular basis of citizenship and dignity of Assam, we're fighting India, says literary critic
6 years ago

Hiren Gohain charged with sedition: By fighting for secular basis of citizenship and dignity of Assam, we're fighting India, says literary critic

Firstpost  

Assam Police has filed a case against three intellectuals of the state on charges of sedition after they raised the issue of separate statehood. Assam Police has filed a case against three intellectuals of the state on charges of sedition after they raised the issue of separate statehood for Assam if the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016 was passed by the …

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