A-G hints ‘something may happen’ on sedition law soon, SC defers hearing

Seeking time, the A-G said all concerns had already been taken care of by SC’s May 11 interim order, which had put on hold trial in all sedition cases pending before courts across the country until the government completes the exercise “to re-examine and re-consider the provisions of IPC Section 124A” dealing with the offence.

Taking note, the bench deferred the hearing until the second week of January 2023. The May 11 interim order will continue in the meanwhile.

The Centre had earlier placed before the court a “directive”, which it said it intended to issue to state governments and Union Territories to prevent any misuse of Section 124A and the court had allowed this.

On Monday, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the bench, also comprising Justices Ravindra Bhat and Bela M Trivedi, that a directive had been issued. The A-G said no new transgressions had been brought to notice either.