Tag : Historic

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed the operation of sedition law, and ruled that all pending cases, appeals and proceedings with respect to charges framed for sedition should be kept in abeyance. The three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana and including Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli also urged the Centre and states to refrain from registering any FIRs invoking Section 124A of the IPC, governing sedition. The Supreme Court also allowed the central government to re-examine and reconsider the provisions of Section 124A of the IPC which criminalises the offence of sedition. The court said till the exercise of re-examination is complete, no case will be registered under Sec 124A. The SC said reliefs granted to the accused under the section will continue, and fixed July for hearing pleas challenging the validity of sedition law. Earlier, the bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana was told by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, that however, the registration of FIRs for the offence of sedition cannot be prevented as the provision dealt with a cognisable offence and was upheld by a Constitution bench in 1962. With regard to pending sedition cases, the Centre suggested that hearing on bail pleas in such matters may be expedited as the government did not know the gravity of offence in each case and they may have terror or money laundering angles. "Ultimately, pending cases are before the judicial forum and we need to trust courts," the law officer told the bench which also comprised justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli. The proceedings are on. On Tuesday, the bench had asked the Centre make its stand clear within 24 hours on keeping the pending sedition cases in abeyance to protect t ...