Time we define limits of sedition: SC staying steps against news channels

Taking a strong view on attempts to muzzle the Fourth Estate a threejudge bench of the Supreme Court on Monday called for defining the limits of sedition as it put on hold coercive action against two Telugu channels TV5 news and ABN Andhra JyotiThe Andhra Pradesh police had mentioned the coercive measures in an FIR alleging seditionThe bench comprising Justices DY Chandrachud L Nageswara Rao and S Ravindra Bhat said Its time we define the limits of sedition and expressed prima facie that FIRs are an attempt to muzzle media freedomEmphasizing everything cannot be treated as sedition the bench said the Andhra Pradesh governments act of filing sedition cases against the channels is an attempt to muffling their voiceAlso ReadLast years policy can be adopted this year too SC on Class 12 board examThe channels moved the top court seeking quashing of FIRs and also contempt petitions contending that Andhra police action violated the April 30 courts order which emphasized on restraining prosecution against citizens who ventilate grievances in connection with Covid19 issuesThe top court said the TV channels broadcasting programmes and print media publishing views howsoever critical of government may not be seditiousThe top court observed that it would endeavour to define sedition in the context of such charges being invoked against mediaThe apex court asked the Andhra government to respond to the petitions and contempt pleas of two TV channels within four weeks and in the interim the court added that the police will not take any coercive steps against TV channels and journalistsSenior advocates Shyam Divan and Sidharth Luthra representing TV5 News and ABN Andhra Jyoti contended that the FIRs were registered against the channels for publishing the press statements of rebel YSRCP MP Raghu Rama Krishnam RajuThe bench noted there was a need to define the scope of offences under Section 124A sedition and 153A promotion of communal hatred under the IPC especially in the context of media freedomLuthra sought for a stay of investigation but the bench replied that it will only stay coercive action at the momentThe pleas argued that the only allegation in the FIR against the news channels was that they allotted premediated and organized slots to Raju which evinces a meeting of minds amongst the accused personsOn May 14 Raju was arrested weeks after he asked a CBI special court to cancel the bail of Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy in a disproportionate assets caseOn May 21 the top court granted bail citing a possibility that he was illtreated in custodyThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever