In a major development in the debate on sedition, the Centre on Monday informed the Supreme Court it had decided to reconsider the validity of Section 124A of the IPC that criminalises the offence of sedition.
The Centre informed the Supreme Court of its decision in an affidavit. The apex court has been hearing petitions against Section 124A.
The Supreme Court was scheduled to begin hearing from May 10 arguments seeking transfer of pleas against the sedition law to a larger bench.
Bar and Bench quoted the affidavit as saying “The Government of India being fully cognizant of various views being expressed on the subject of sedition and also having considered the concerns of civil liberties and human rights, while committed to maintain and protect the sovereignty and integrity of this great nation, has decided to re-examine and reconsider the provisions of Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code which can be done only before the competent forum.”
The Centre requested the Supreme Court not to proceed in hearing the pleas against Section 124A.
Interestingly, on Saturday, the Centre had defended Section 124A and stated that the Supreme Court's verdict in a case in 1962 had stood the test of time and there was no need to refer the matter to a larger bench.
The affidavit noted that the government was reconsidering colonial-era laws given Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision to shed “colonial baggage” when the nation was celebrating its 75th Independence Day.
