New Delhi: In a significant turn of events, the Supreme Court paused the controversial sedition law on Wednesday, which allowed the arrest without a warrant if an individual is accused of anti-government activities.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Supreme Court has put the sedition law on hold; urged the Centre and States to refrain from registering any FIRs invoking Section 124A IPC
- The law allowed arrest without a warrant if a person is accused of Anti Govt activities
- The apex court has allowed the Central government to re-examine and reconsider the provisions of Section 124A of the IPC which criminalises the offence of sedition.
- No new FIRs will be filed for sedition and all pending cases will be on hold
- If any fresh cases are filed, those charged can approach the court
- Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said: “We respect each other, the court should respect the government, legislature and the government should also respect the court. We have a clear demarcation of boundary and that Lakshman Rekha should not be crossed by anybody.”
- The government had announced its decision to review the sedition law that was once used against Mahatma Gandhi and Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak by the British
- However, the government argued that while it reviews the law, it should not be paused