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print versionPRESS STATEMENT
May 11th, 2022
Editors Guild of India is extremely pleased that in response to the petition filed by the Guild, challenging the sedition law (IPC 124A), the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India on May 11, 2022, has passed an interim order effectively keeping the law in abeyance, until the Union Government reconsiders the provision.
The court passed the interim order in response to a clutch of petitions filed by the Editors Guild of India, Major General SG Vombatkere (Retd), former Union Minister Arun Shourie, PUCL and others.
The court in its order has noted:
“We hope and expect that the State and Central Governments will restrain from registering any FIR, continuing any investigation or taking any coercive measures by invoking Section 124A of IPC while the aforesaid provision of law is under consideration”,
And further that
“All pending trials, appeals and proceedings with respect to the charge framed under Section 124A of IPC be kept in abeyance”.
The court has also allowed those booked under this provision to approach the concerned court for bail.
The order was passed after the Union Government stated in an affidavit that the law requires “re-consideration and re-examination”.
The Guild welcomes this interim order as sedition law has been used far too often by Central and State governments against journalists in an effort to curb independent reporting.
The Guild thanks and appreciates the team of lawyers who worked relentlessly on its petition, led by Senior Advocate Mr. Shyam Diwan, and advocates Mr. Prashant Kumar, Mr. Govind Manoharan, Mr. Amarjit Bedi, Mr. Sudipto Sircar and their team.
Thanks and regards,
Seema Mustafa, President
Sanjay Kapoor, General Secretary
Anant Nath, Treasurer
