Sedition and Dissatisfaction towards the Government

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An act is seditious if your act results in people feeling hatred or contempt towards the Government. A person commits sedition if they use either spoken or written words or gestures, aimed at encouraging people to(( Section 124A, Indian Penal Code, 1860.)):

Disobey the authority of the Government, or
Resist the authority of the Government.

These actions should lead people to resort to violence and create public disorder. An attempt to make people disobey or resist the Government through acts of public disorder or violence may also be an act of sedition.(( Nazir Khan v. State of Delhi, 2003 (8) S.C.C. 461.))

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Acts which are not sedition

Criticisms of government policies and their actions, criticisms in good faith or to improve the functioning of the Government do not amount to sedition, as your right to freedom of speech and expression under the Constitution protects these acts.

Meaning of Sedition

When anyone tries to bring hatred or contempt or excites disaffection towards the government, they have committed an act of sedition.

Seditious Text

You have a right to write about the Government, or its measures, by way of criticism or comment, so long as you do not incite people to violence against the Government or don’t do with an intent of creating public disorder.

Punishment for Sedition

The punishment for sedition can be jail time upto 3 years and/or a fine, or jail time for life and/or a fine, or a fine.

Confiscation of Seditious Material

In a scenario where you are being charged for an act of sedition, every copy that exists of the newspaper, book or document which contains the seditious text or material can be taken away by the Government.

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