Time limits of sedition are defined says Supreme Court

New Delhi, May 31: The Supreme Court on Monday put on hold the decision by the Andhra Pradesh government against two television channels, while stating that it is time that the limits of sedition are defined.

The AP government should not take any coercive action against the Telugu news channels TV 5 and ABN Andhra Jyoti, the court said. "The Andhra Pradesh government's act of filing sedition cases against the channels is muffling channels. It is time the court defines sedition," the Bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud said.

The channels were booked with sedition for allegedly airing comments of a rebel MP of the YSR Congress, Kanumuri Raghurama Krishnam Raju. He had been very critical of the government's handling of the pandemic.

The channels went to the Supreme Court stating that the government of AP had violated a recent court order that had restrained the government from punishing citizens for flagging COVID-19 related grievances.