Supreme Court Agrees To Examine Fresh Plea Challenging Sedition Law

The plea against sedition law, filed by Major-General SG Vombatkere (Retd) submitted that Section 124-A of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with the offence of sedition, "is wholly unconstitutional and should be unequivocally and unambiguously struck down".

The Supreme Court today agreed to examine a fresh plea by a former army officer challenging the Constitutional validity of the sedition law on the ground that it causes "chilling effect" on speech and is an unreasonable restriction on free expression, a fundamental right. A bench comprising Chief Justice NV Ramana, AS Bopanna and Hrishikesh Roy directed the petitioner to serve a copy of the plea to the Attorney General KK Venugopal. The plea, filed by Major-General SG Vombatkere (Retd) submitted that Section 124-A of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with the offence of sedition, "is wholly unconstitutional and should be unequivocally and unambiguously struck down". "The petitioner contends that a statute criminalising expression based on unconstitutionally vague definitions of 'disaffection towards Government' etc. is an unreasonable restriction on the fundamental right to free expression guaranteed under Article 19(1)(a) and causes constitutionally impermissible 'Chilling Effect' on speech", the plea said.