The government told the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday that the Law Commission was considering the “scope and ambit” of the law on sedition and suggest amendments, if any.
The government’s reply to Parliament said that during 2014-15, as many as 112 cases of sedition were registered across India and 36 persons were chargesheeted. During the period, the police secured conviction in only two cases.
Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Gangaram Ahir said the Home Ministry had written to the Law and Justice Ministry to request the Law Commission of India to study the usage of the provisions of Section 124 A (Sedition) of the Indian Penal Code and suggest amendments, if any.
“The Law Commission has undertaken the examination of Section 124 A and is considering the scope and ambit of the law on sedition, in order to ascertain under what circumstances it can legitimately be invoked,” he said in a written reply to a query.
Mr. Ahir said a draft report on the subject has been prepared and discussed in the Law Commission’s meeting held on June 26, 2018 and, as decided, the same is being reviewed.
“The report is yet to be finalised by the Law Commission,” he said.
