Sedition laws in India
Why in News Recently, the Supreme Court protected a political leader and six senior journalists from arrest in multiple sedition FIRs registered against them. Historical Background of Sedition Law: Sedition laws were enacted in 17th century England when lawmakers believed that only good opinions of the government should survive, as bad opinions were detrimental to the government and monarchy. The law was originally drafted in 1837 by Thomas Macaulay, the British historian-politician, but was inexplicably omitted when the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was enacted in 1860. Section 124A was inserted in 1870 by an amendment introduced by Sir James Stephen when it felt the need for a specific section to deal with the offence. It was one of the many draconian laws enacted to stifle any voices of dissent at that time Sedition Law Today: Sedition is a crime under Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Section 124A IPC: It defines sedition as an offence committed when "any person by word