Sedition law to be amended? Weeks after JNU row, government reviews usage, provisions of 124A

In a major development, the Union Home Ministry on Tuesday informed the Parliament that a Law Commission is reviewing the sedition law.

New Delhi: In a major development, the Union Home Ministry on Tuesday informed Parliament (Lok Sabha) that a Law Commission is reviewing the sedition law.

The Ministry of Law and Justice has asked the Law Commission to study the usage and provisions of Section 124A (sedition law) of the IPC.

It is noteworthy that the development has come close on the heels of the arrest of JNU students Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid and others on sedition charges.

Reportedly, the Law Commission has identified certain focus areas and formed a sub-group to deliberate on the issues.

There has been a raging debate over sedition law for the past few weeks in the wake of the JNU row where anti-national slogans were raised during an event on Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.

Earlier, on Monday, the Delhi High Court reserved its order on the bail plea of JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar, arrested on sedition charges, till March 2.

On being asked by the judge if there was any CCTV footage or other evidence to prove that Kanhaiya was raising slogans, the Delhi Police told the court that “in the video Kanhaiya cannot be seen shouting slogans. However, there are witnesses to his shouting slogans.”