Centre defends sedition law in Supreme Court, says 1962 judgment binding

The Centre told the three-judge bench, led by Chief Justice NV Ramana, that the verdict in the 1962 Kedarnath Singh vs State of Bihar does not require any consideration.

New Delhi: The Central government on Saturday defended Section 124A IPC (sedition law) while requesting the apex court to dismiss the pleas challenging it.

The Centre told the three-judge bench, led by Chief Justice NV Ramana, that the verdict in the 1962 Kedarnath Singh vs State of Bihar does not require any consideration. Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta also submitted that "isolated instances" of misuse cannot be a ground to uproot the precedent that has withstood the test of time for over six decades.

The court is hearing a batch of pleas challenging the constitutional validity of the colonial-era law. The pleas challenging the sedition law were filed by five parties including the Editors Guild of India and Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra.

The SG told the apex court that the 1962 verdict of 5-judge Constitution bench case is binding, continues to be a good law and needs no reconsideration. The verdict, the SG said, has stood the test of time and applied till date in tune with modern constitutional principles.

Section 124A says a person commits the crime of sedition, if he/she brings or attempts to bring in hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards, the government established by law in India. It can be by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise. It prescribes the maximum punishment of life imprisonment.