Govt will simply slap UAPA or NSA on perceived dissenters even if sedition law is struck off statute – National Herald

The court granted Central government time till May 10 to file its response, failing which it intended to decide the question of whether there was a requirement to refer the challenge to a seven-member bench.

Instead, the Central government filed an affidavit stating that it will reconsider the law and requested that the challenge proceedings be kept in abeyance.

It appears that the courts oral observations in the matter, where it disapproved of the misuse of the law, had a bearing on the governments decision.

The petition took objection to this approach mainly because such a proposal didnt factor in pending cases and continued misuse of the provision while the law would be under the governments consideration.

The Central government sought a days time to take instructions on interim measure to ally the petitioners fears.

On Wednesday, it proposed to establish a mechanism where sedition cases would be filed only after an officer of SP rank justified in writing and such a justification would be open to judicial review. The petitioners, on the other hand, insisted on suspension of law in totality.

In fact, Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan submitted proposed consequential directions of an absolute suspension of the law which inter alia included explicit stay of pending proceedings and bar on registration of new cases.

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Govt will simply slap UAPA or NSA on perceived dissenters even if sedition law is struck off statute - National Herald