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The Sedition Conundrum in India: A Critical Examination of its Historical Evolution, Current Application and Constitutional Validity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 July 2023

Vaibhav Yadav*
Affiliation:
India International University of Legal Education and Research, Goa, India

Abstract

The fundamental scheme of the Indian Constitution furthers absolute antagonism against the sedition provision that has its underpinnings in the archaic principles of the colonial era. Commentators on Indian law and politics have raised concerns that the country’s sedition law runs counter to Indias peculiar libertarian constitutional framework. The trepidation of the accused is intensified by ambiguous, vague and unclear wording of Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code. This article examines the judicial promotion of free speech in sedition cases as law under the aegis of Article 141 of the Constitution of India. By investigating its ancestry, the author proposes to shed light on the circumstances behind the conception and establishment of the Sedition Act in colonial India. The article further intends to comparatively analyse and examine the sedition statutes of India and other countries, including the United Kingdom and the United States of America, etc., with a comprehensive emphasis on the philosophy and rulings of the respective Supreme Courts. The article concludes by proposing that India’s arbitrary sedition statute should be repealed for being redundant and in derogation with the countrys professed legal compass, the “Rule of Law”.

Abstracto

ABSTRACTO

El esquema fundamental de la Constitución de la India promueve antagonismos absolutos contra la disposición sobre sedición que tiene sus fundamentos en los principios arcaicos de la era colonial. Los comentaristas sobre la ley y la política de la India han expresado su preocupación de que la ley de sedición del país va en contra del peculiar marco constitucional libertario de la India. La inquietud de los acusados se ve intensificada por la redacción ambigua, vaga y poco clara de la Sección 124A del Código Penal indio. Este artículo examina la promoción judicial de la libertad de expresión en los casos de sedición como ley bajo los auspicios del artículo 141 de la Constitución de la India. Al investigar su ascendencia, el autor se propone arrojar luz sobre las circunstancias detrás de la concepción y establecimiento de la Ley de Sedición en la India colonial. Además, el artículo tiene la intención de analizar y examinar comparativamente los estatutos de sedición de la India y otros países, incluidos el Reino Unido y los Estados Unidos de América, con un énfasis integral en la filosofía y los fallos de las respectivas Cortes Supremas. El artículo concluye proponiendo que el estatuto de sedición arbitraria de la India debe ser derogado por ser redundante y en derogación de la brújula legal profesada del país, el “Estado de derecho”.

Abstrait

ABSTRAIT

Le schéma fondamental de la Constitution indienne favorise les antagonismes absolus contre la disposition relative à la sédition qui trouve ses fondements dans les principes archaïques de l’ère coloniale. Les commentateurs de la loi et de la politique indiennes ont exprimé leur inquiétude quant au fait que la loi sur la sédition du pays va à l’encontre du cadre constitutionnel libertaire particulier de l’Inde. La trépidation de l’accusé est intensifiée par le libellé ambigu, vague et peu clair de l’article 124A du Code pénal indien. Cet article examine la promotion judiciaire de la liberté d’expression dans les affaires de sédition en tant que loi sous l’égide de l’article 141 de la Constitution de l’Inde. En enquêtant sur son ascendance, l’auteur propose de faire la lumière sur les circonstances de la conception et de l’établissement du Sedition Act dans l’Inde coloniale. L’article vise en outre à analyser et à examiner de manière comparative les lois sur la sédition de l’Inde et d’autres pays, dont le Royaume-Uni et les États-Unis d’Amérique, etc., en mettant l’accent sur la philosophie et les décisions des cours suprêmes respectives. L’article conclut en proposant que la loi indienne sur la sédition arbitraire soit abrogée car elle est redondante et contraire à la boussole juridique professée par le pays, la « règle de droit ».

抽象的

抽象的

印度宪法的基本方案进一步反对以殖民时代陈旧原则为基础的煽动条款。 印度法律和政治评论员担心该国的煽动法与印度特有的自由主义宪法框架背道而驰。 ⟪印度刑法典⟫第 124A 条含糊、含糊和不明确的措辞加剧了被告的恐惧。 本文考察了在印度宪法第 141 条的支持下,煽动案件中言论自由作为法律的司法促进。 通过调查其祖先,作者建议阐明殖民地印度煽动法的概念和制定背后的情况。 文章进一步拟对印度与英国、美国等国的煽动叛乱法进行比较分析和考察,并全面侧重于各自最高法院的理念和裁决。 文章最后建议废除印度的任意煽动法令,因为它是多余的,并且有损该国自称的法律指南针“法治”。

خلاصة

خلاصة

يعزز المخطط الأساسي للدستور الهندي العداوات المطلقة ضد حكم الفتنة الذي ترتكز دعائمه على المبادئ القديمة للحقبة الاستعمارية. أثار المعلقون على القانون والسياسة في الهند مخاوف من أن قانون التحريض على الفتنة في البلاد يتعارض مع الإطار الدستوري التحرري الغريب في الهند. تتفاقم مخاوف المتهم بسبب الصياغة الغامضة والغامضة وغير الواضحة للمادة 124 أ من قانون العقوبات الهندي. تبحث هذه المقالة في الترويج القضائي لحرية التعبير في قضايا التحريض على الفتنة كقانون تحت رعاية المادة 141 من دستور الهند. من خلال التحقيق في أسلافه ، يقترح المؤلف تسليط الضوء على الظروف الكامنة وراء مفهوم وإنشاء قانون الفتنة في الهند الاستعمارية. تهدف المقالة كذلك إلى تحليل وفحص قوانين الفتنة في الهند ودول أخرى بشكل نسبي بما في ذلك المملكة المتحدة والولايات المتحدة الأمريكية وما إلى ذلك ، مع التركيز الشامل على فلسفة وأحكام المحاكم العليا المعنية. ويختتم المقال باقتراح أن قانون التحريض على الفتنة التعسفي في الهند يجب إلغاؤه لكونه زائدًا عن الحاجة ويتعارض مع البوصلة القانونية المعلنة في البلاد ، “سيادة القانون”.

Type
Article
Copyright
© International Society of Criminology, 2023

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