NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to examine a challenge to the constitutional validity of sedition law, seen as the successor to the colonial-era law, under 2023 Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.A bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justices K Vinod Chandran and N V Anjaria issued a notice to the Centre on the PIL filed by retired Major General S G Vombatkere, an Army veteran and Vishisht Seva Medal awardee, against the validity of Section 152 (sedition) of BNS.The top court also ordered tagging of the plea with a pending petition which challenges Section 124A (sedition) under the erstwhile IPC, replaced by BNS.Section 152 of BNS deals with the “act endangering sovereignty, unity and integrity of India.””Whoever, purposely or knowingly, by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or by electronic communication or by use of financial means, or otherwise, excites or attempts to excite, secession or armed rebellion or subversive activities, or encourages feelings of separatist activities or endangers sovereignty or unity and integrity of India; or indulges in or commits any such act shall be punished with imprisonment for life or with imprisonment which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine,” it reads.The plea called the provision a “rebranded version” of the sedition law, previously kept in abeyance by the Supreme Court in July 2022 pending legislative review.Despite this, the new legislation reinstates sedition under a new label, with even broader and more ambiguous language, it added.In July 2022, a three judge bench headed by former CJI N V Ramana stayed the sedition provision under IPC.
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