New Delhi
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.
In a fresh affidavit, the Centre said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is of the firm view that the baggage of colonial-era laws, which outlived their utility, must be scrapped during the period of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ (75 years of independence).
In that spirit, the government of India has scrapped over 1,500 outdated laws since 2014-15, it said.
“It has also ended over 25,000 compliance burdens which were causing unnecessary hurdles to the people of our country. Various offences which were causing mindless hindrances to people have been de-criminalised. This is an ongoing process. These were laws and compliances which reeked of a colonial mindset and thus have no place in today’s India,” the Centre said.
“The Centre 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 reexamine and reconsider the provisions of Section 124A of the IPC which can be done only before the competent forum,” the affidavit said while requesting the apex court to await the outcome of the Centre’s exercise to re-examine Section 124A.
On the other hand, the Central government on Saturday told the Supreme Court that the 1962 verdict of the five-judge Constitution bench case which upheld the validity of the offence of sedition under Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code, is binding and continues to be is a “good law and needs no reconsideration”.’
