The Central government on Monday informed the Supreme Court that it has decided to re-examine and reconsider the provisions of Section 124A which criminalises the offence of sedition and requested it not to take up the case till the matter is examined by the government.
Arun Shourie sought direction to declare the sedition law unconstitutional arguing that it is "heavily abused". Shourie in his plea had said that cases are being filed against citizens for "exercising their freedom of speech and expression". Sedition Law: Centre Tells Supreme Court That It Will Re-Examine, Reconsider Provisions of the Law.
"The remedy would lie in preventing such abuse on a case-to-case basis rather than doubting a long-standing settled law declared by a Constitution bench since about six decades," the Centre said.
The Supreme Court on Thursday said that it will first decide the issue of whether the petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the offence of sedition under Section 124 A of the Indian Penal Code should be referred to a larger bench or not.
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