New Delhi: The Central government on Monday requested the Supreme Court not to invest its time in examining the validity of Section 124A for the time being, and to await the exercise of reconsideration being undertaken by the Government of India, Bar and Bench reported.
The report said that GoI has decided to re-examine and reconsider Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) which criminalises the offence of Sedition.
“An affidavit filed before the top court, the government said that in tune with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to shed colonial baggage at a time when the country is marking its 75th year of independence, the government has decided to reconsider various colonial laws,” reads the report.
“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 reexamine and reconsider the provisions of Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code which can be done only before the competent forum,” the affidavit said.
The report by B&B said that the affidavit was filed in response to a batch petitions challenging the constitutionality of the colonial provision