Keep sedition law, hike jail term: Law Commission
New Delhi, June 2
Noting that repealing the sedition law altogether can have “serious adverse ramifications” for the security and integrity of the country, the Law Commission has recommended retention of Section 124A of the IPC that was put on hold by the Supreme Court last year in view of its alleged misuse. In its 279th report on “Usage of the Law of Sedition”, the commission headed by Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi recommended that the maximum punishment prescribed under Section 124A IPC should be enhanced to life imprisonment for bringing it “in parity with other offences under Chapter VI of IPC”.
- Editorial: Sedition law must go
To check misuse of the law, the panel suggested incorporating procedural safeguards such as mandatory preliminary enquiry before lodging an FIR within seven days by an officer not below the rank of inspector to ascertain if a case was required to be registered under Section 124A or not.
In a historic order, the Supreme Court had, on May 11 last year, put the law on hold and asked the Centre and states not to register any cases under Section 124A IPC pending an exercise to review the colonial law.
A Bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud would hear petitions challenging the validity of the law in August.
