The Indian Journalists Union (IJU) has hailed the Supreme Court’s decision quashing the sedition case registered against journalist Vinod Dua in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh.
The case was filed against Vinod Dua over his YouTube Show by a local BJP leader in Himachal Pradesh, IJU stated in a release signed by president Geetartha Pathak on Friday.
On October 6, 2020, a bench of justices U U Lalit and Vineet Saran had reserved the verdict on the petition after hearing arguments for Dua, the Himachal Pradesh government and the complainant in the case, IJU stated.
The SC’s verdict is historic as it clearly defined the issue of protection of freedom of speech and expression of media personnel by observing, “Every journalist is entitled to protection under the Kedar Nath Singh judgment (the famous verdict of 1962 on the scope and ambit of offence of sedition in the IPC),” IJU stated.
It is to be mentioned that, the apex court in 1962 ruled that the sedition charges could not be invoked against a citizen for criticism of government actions as it would be in conformity with the freedom of speech and expression, it added.
