Sedition circular: HC extends order restraining action

In the last hearing, the state government informed the HC that it was planning to issue a fresh circular. An intervention application was filed by Marathi journalist Bhau Vasant Torsekar in support. “The PIL is misconceived, illegal, bad in law, mischievous, malafide and not tenable at all taking into account the relief sought by them,” the application states. The petitioner states he firmly believes in ‘freedom of speech’ as granted by Article 19 of the Constitution of India. “At the same time, one should not become completely unaccountable while exercising or enjoying this freedom. This could create an atmosphere of distrust, hatred against the government or the Rule of law.”

Justice V M Kanade and Dr Shalini Phansalkar Joshi were hearing two public interest litigations, (PIL) seeking trashing of the government circular.

A debate has been raging on the issue and two PILs were filed seeking quashing of the circular stating that the government stand is arbitrary and aimed at curbing freedom of speech. One PIL has been filed by advocate Narendra Sharma (25) while another was filed by Mumbai-based cartoonist Aseem Trivedi, who had been arrested in 2012 under sedition charges, along with three other petitioners.