Sedition law is colonial, says Supreme Court as it agrees to examine its constitutional validity

The Supreme Court on Thursday said the sedition law was colonial and sought to know whether it was still necessary to continue using it after 75 years of Independence, Live Law reported.

A bench comprising of Chief Justice NV Ramana and Justices AS Bopanna and Hrishikesh Roy was hearing a new petition filed by a retired Army general, challenging the constitutional validity of the sedition law.

“This dispute about law is concerned, its colonial law, meant to suppress freedom movement, used by British to silence Mahatma Gandhi etc, still is it necessary after 75 years of independence?” the chief justice said. “Alarming numbers of misuse of provision can be compared to a carpenter using saw to cut [not] a tree but the entire forest.”

The court said it will examine the constitutional validity of the Section 124A (sedition) of the Indian Penal Code and sought Centre’s response in the case.

“We will definitely look into this Section 124A,” the court said, according to The Hindu. “The situation on the ground is grave… If one party does not like what the other is saying, Section 124A is used… It is a serious threat to the functioning of individuals and parties.”

The petitioner, Major General SG Vombatkere, said in his plea that the sedition law is based on unconstitutionally vague definitions like “disaffection…

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