While the opposition targeted the Modi government over the apex court's decision saying that the SC has stayed the provisions of sedition, a closer look at the order reveals that the top court took note of the Centre's positive suggestions.
According to a National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report, a total of 356 cases of sedition were registered and 548 people arrested between 2015 and 2020, out of which only six were convicted.
Rijiju's remarks came after Rahul Gandhi had welcomed the Supreme Court's decision to put on hold the sedition law.
In its significant order on the law that has been under intense public scrutiny, a bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana said there was a need to balance the interest of civil liberties and interests of citizens with that of the state.
Supreme Court said that those already facing sedition charges can approach courts for bail.
The Supreme Court had asked the Centre to reply to the suggestion that the filing of sedition cases be kept at abeyance till re-examination.
On Saturday, the Centre defended the law on sedition and the 1962 verdict of a constitution bench upholding its validity, saying they have withstood "the test of time" about six decades and the instances of its abuse would never be a justification of reconsideration.
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana has scheduled the matter for hearing on May 10. The bench will hear the arguments on whether the petitions challenging the validity of sedition under Section 124A should be referred to a Constitution bench.
A three-judge bench of Chief Justice N V Ramana and justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli said it would commence the final hearing in the matter on May 5 and would not entertain any request for adjournment.
The Court had passed the direction for framing of charges on Jan 24, 2022. Court had dismissed the regular bail plea of Sharjeel. The court has listed the case for further hearing on Mar 26, 2022.
The law minister on Friday said in Lok Sabha that the Ministry of Home Affairs has no proposal under consideration to scrap Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) dealing with sedition.
Justice Rajnish Bhatnagar issued notice to the prosecution and asked it to file a reply to the bail plea while listing the matter for further hearing on February 11, 2022.
Uttar Pradesh Police has booked seven people in a total of five districts and taken five people in custody for allegedly raising Pro-Pak slogans or celebrating Pakistan's victory over India in the T20 Cricket World Cup.
The top court made these observations while granting protection from arrest to a suspended senior ADG rank-officer, Gurjinder Pal Singh, against whom two criminal cases -- sedition and amassing disproportionate assets -- have been filed by the Chhattisgarh government.
The threat was made through a recorded phone call to a majority of Shimla-based journalists simultaneously at 10.54 am. The caller identified himself as Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the general counsel for the SFJ.
The government has repealed a number of laws now. I don't know why you are not looking into this, CJI Ramana said.
The Kerala High Court on Friday granted anticipatory bail to filmmaker Aisha Sultana in the sedition case registered against her by Kavaratti Police of Lakshadweep.
A bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Hemant Gupta rejected the plea and also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on the petitioners for making such claims and directed them to deposit the amount with the Supreme Court Advocates Welfare Fund within four weeks.
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Saturday hit out at the Delhi government for its sanction to prosecute former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar and nine others in connection with a sedition case, saying the Kejriwal dispensation is "no less ill-informed than the Centre" in its understanding of the sedition law.
Former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar demanded a speedy trial against him. This, he said, will bring out how sedition law was being "misused". Delhi state government on Friday gave green signal to Delhi Police to prosecute Kanhaiya Kumar in JNU sedition case.
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