Sedition law needs reconsideration, will consult criminal

lawyers, stakeholders: Law Commission chief

New Delhi:The sedition law, which has comeunder focus after the JNU row, needs reconsideration
newly-appointed Law Commission Chairman Justice Balbir SinghChauhan said on
Tuesdaywhileasserting that the panel criminal law attorneys will not jumpto any conclusion before
hearing out stakeholders.
"Actually it (sedition law) requires reconsideration. Wedo not know what is the problem, what are
the difficulties. Wewill hear all the stakeholders, consult criminal lawyers," theformer Supreme
Court judge told PTI.
He said the recently-reconstituted 21st Law Commission"cannot jump to any conclusion" before
understanding thedifficulties relating to section 124 A of the IPC dealing withsedition. "What are the
difficulties, why it requiresreconsideration, whether there is any need of change ofdefinition. And
only then we will make a report. We cannotjump to any conclusion...," he said.
He said the priority for the Commission would be come outwith the report on comprehensive review
of the criminaljustice system which would include a relook at the IndianPenal Code (IPC), Code of
Criminal Procedure (CrPc) and theEvidence Act.
While IPC and CrPC are handled by the Union HomeMinistry, the Evidence Act comes under the
domain of the LawMinistry.
Justice Chauhan said the government has given theCommission a list of issues for its consideration,
includinghate speech, live in relations, rights of victims and"comprehensive review" of the criminal
justice system.
"We will take up the issues one by one, otherwise it willbe difficult to hand over reports," he said.
The issue of sedition law, which was part of government'seffort to review the criminal justice system
was referred tothe 20th Law Commission headed by Justice A P Shah in 2012.
But the previous Commission could not submit a report on theissue.
Arrest of JNU students union president on charges ofsedition triggered a debate on whether this law
can be misusedto crush freedom of expression.
Against the backdrop of JNU row, the government hadearlier this month acknowledged in the Rajya
Sabha that thedefinition of sedition law is "very wide".
Home Minister Rajnath Singh had agreed for an all-partymeeting to discuss the issue after the Law
Commission submitsits report on sedition law.
The government had rejected Opposition charge that it wasrampantly using the law, contending that
except the one caseof JNU, sedition cases have mostly been registered outsideDelhi.
"Anybody, who speaks against the government can be bookedunder sedition law. Amendments have
been suggested because thedefinition is very wide...there are various cases. That is whyconcerns

were have been raised. I would like the ask the LawCommission to consider a very comprehensive
review," Ministerof State for Home Kiren Rijiju had said replying to questions.
Rijiju said the Law Commission, in its 42nd reportsubmitted in June, 1971, had noted that the
sedition law is
"defective" but did not favour its deletion.
Quoting figures from a report of National Crime RecordsBureau, he said a total of 47 cases under
the sedition lawwere reported across the country in 2014 of which the maximum16 cases were
registered in Bihar in which 28 arrests weremade.
The second highest is Jharkhand, he had said adding thatKerala and Odisha follow them in the
descending order.
PTI
http://www.firstpost.com/india/sedition-law-needs-reconsideration-will-consult-criminal-lawyers-stak
eholders-law-commission-chief-2690470.html