The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it will hear in January a batch of pleas challenging the constitutional validity of the IPC provision on sedition, months after the Centre introduced in Parliament bills to replace the colonial-era penal statutes.
In its report, the Law Commission of India said that the law on sedition was essential to protect the unity and integrity of India. It said the sedition law cannot be repealed just because it is a colonial-era law.
In July 2021, during the course of hearing a batch of petitions challenging the Constitutional validity of the sedition law, then Chief Justice of India N. V. Ramana had posed a question before the government. He had asked the Attorney General to clarify if the colonial-era law was still needed 75 years after independence.
Hot Mic with Nidhi Razdan: The Supreme Court's historic decision to put the 162-year-old sedition law on hold till the central government completes the promised exercise to reconsider and re-examine the provision is hugely significant
The controversial sedition law will be paused while the government reviews it, the Supreme Court said today in a landmark order that impacts hundreds charged under the colonial-era relic. Those jailed for sedition can approach courts for bail.