Petition in Supreme Court seeking review of sedition laws

New Delhi, Aug 17: A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking a review of sedition laws in India. The petition filed by NGO, Common Cause seeks a review of the sedition laws. The matter is to be listed for hearing.

In the petition it is stated that the law needs to be reviewed due to its misapplication. Further the petitioner also stated that there is misuse of the law and hence a review was being sought. The petitioner further states that an increasing number of cases under sedition are being filed in the country against activists and individuals. This is setting a dangerous precedent the petition also contends.

The petition comes a day after the Bengaluru police filed an FIR under the sedition law against Amnesty International. The FIR was filed following a complaint by the ABVP which alleged that slogans of Azad Kashmir were raised at an event on Saturday in Bengaluru which was hosted by Amnesty International.

Prior to this the sedition law was debated when the Delhi police booked students at the JNU under this law. It was alleged that at an event organised at JNU, some students had raised anti national slogans apart from hailing Afzal Guru who was convicted by the Supreme Court in the Parliament attack.

Section 124-A of the Indian Penal Code deals with sedition laws. The section states, "whoever, by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise, brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards the Government established by law in shall be punished with imprisonment for life.

OneIndia News