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Explained: Why Supreme Court’s order virtually stalls operation of sedition law

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By ruling that “ it will be appropriate not to continue ” with the offence of sedition till the government reviews the provision, the Supreme Court while testing the constitutionality of Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code has raised the bar for the government to invoke the provision. In effect, the law on sedition is suspended till the court hears the case next — in July. “The case of the petitioners is that this provision of law dates back to 1898, and pre-dates the Constitution itself, and is being misused. The Attorney General had also, on an earlier date of hearing, given some instances of glaring misuse of this provision, like in the case of recital of the Hanuman Chalisa.  Therefore, we expect that, till the re-examination of the provision is complete, it will be appropriate not to continue the usage of the aforesaid provision of law by the governments,” the court said in its order. Although the court did not explicitly stay the provision — no criminal ...
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Big Order Today, About the case related to the inspection of the Gyanvapi mosque.

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Varanasi:   A court in Varanasi will deliver its verdict today in the case related to the inspection of the Gyanvapi mosque located next to the iconic Kashi Vishwanath temple. The court had ordered an inspection in April this year on petitions by five Hindu women asking for year-long access to pray at a Hindu shrine behind the western wall of the Gyanvapi Mosque complex in Varanasi. The site is currently opened for prayers once a year.  The women also want permission to pray to other "visible and invisible deities within the old temple complex". The local court had earlier directed the authorities to submit a report by May 10. The survey started last Friday but has not been fully completed because of a dispute over videography inside the mosque. The caretaker committee of the Gyanvapi mosque and its lawyers have said they are opposed to any videography inside the mosque.  But the lawyers for the petitioners have claimed they had the court's go-ahead. The court will a...
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Cyclone Asani: Mystery gold-coloured chariot washes ashore in Andhra’s Srikakulam

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Amid the impact of Cyclone Asani in Andhra Pradesh, a mysterious gold-coloured chariot washed ashore at Sunnapalli Sea Harbour in the Srikakulam district on Tuesday. In visuals accessed by Republic Media Network, residents of the coastal area who were present on the shore were seen dragging the chariot out of the water and loading it atop a cart on the shore. Local authorities have said that the origin of the chariot is unknown and it may have entered India's nautical miles from another country. They further stated that the intelligence agency has been apprised of the development and competent authorities will handle the situation further.  The sub-inspector (SI) of Naupada in the Srikakulam district said, "It might have come from another country. We have informed the intelligence and higher officials. Cyclone Asani weakens to a cyclonic storm Several parts of Odisha and West Bengal are bracing for heavy rain as severe cyclone Asani weakened to a cyclonic storm on Wednesd...
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"All The King's Men...": P Chidambaram's Dig At Minister Over Sedition Law

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New Delhi:   As the ruling BJP and opposition Congress continue to trade barbs over the historic Supreme Court order on the colonial-era sedition law, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Thursday slammed Law Minister Kiren Rijiju over his "Lakshman Rekha" remark. After the top court put on hold the application of the controversial sedition law, Mr Rijiju had said while he "respected the court and its independence", there is a "Lakshman Rekha" that cannot be crossed. Mr Chidambaram, reacting to the remark, said the Law Minister has no authority to draw any "arbitrary Lakshman Rekha" and should read Article 13 of the Constitution which allows for any pre-constitution law to be declared void if they are inconsistent with constitutional rights. "The Legislature cannot make a law, nor can a law be allowed to remain on the statute book, that violates the Fundamental Rights. The sedition law, in the view of many legal scholars, violates Article...
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