Shortly after the Supreme Court put on hold the polemical 152-year-old sedition law and emphasised the need to preserve the civil liberties of Indian citizens.
Union law minister Kiren Rijiju said Wednesday that while he ‘respected the court(s) and its independence’, there is a ‘Lakshman Rekha, or a line not meant to be crossed, that had to be respected by the three organs of the central government ‘in letter and spirit’.
“We’ve made our positions very clear and also informed the court about the intention of prime minister Narendra Modi. We respect the court and its independence… but there’s a ‘Lakshman Rekha that must be respected by all organs of the state in letter and spirit,”
“We have to ensure we respect the provisions of the Indian Constitution as well as existing laws.”
—Union law minister Kiren Rijiju said.
On Wednesday the Supreme Court said it would not be appropriate for the sedition law to be invoked at the same time as it is challenged and that those booked under Section 124A could approach courts for relief. “Constitution provides separation of power among three organs and the harmonious function between three organs strengthens democracy. While discharging our duty, we should be mindful of Lakshman Rekha,” the chief justice said at an event
