New Delhi, May 31

As journalists continue to be at the receiving end of the archaic law on sedition, the Supreme Court on Monday decided to examine Section 124A of the IPC in the context of free speech and media freedom.

A three-judge Bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud gave protection from coercive action to Telugu news channels — TV5 and ABN Andhrajyothi – which were named in a sedition case lodged by the Andhra Pradesh Police against them for allegedly showing ‘offensive’ speeches of YSR Congress rebel MP K Raghu Rama Krishna Raju. He was granted bail by the top court on May 21.

Bench takes a DIG

We saw a picture of a body being thrown in river. I do not know whether a sedition case has been filed against the news channel for showing that. The Bench

“We are of the view that provisions of 124A (sedition) and 153 (promoting enmity between classes) of the IPC require interpretation, particularly on the issue of the rights of press and free speech,” the Bench said.

It also restrained the Andhra Pradesh Police from taking any coercive action against the channels’ employees in with the case. The top court asked the AP government to file its response in four weeks to the petitions filed by the two media houses that have sought quashing of the sedition case.

They described it as an attempt to create a “chilling effect” on news channels in the state to dissuade them from hosting any content critical of the government.

Section 124A says a person commits the crime of sedition if he/she brings or attempts to bring in hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards, the government established by law in India. It can be by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation. It prescribes the maximum punishment of life imprisonment. Shreya Broadcasting Pvt Ltd — which owns TV5 news channel — alleged that the state “intends to silence” its critiques. — TNS