New Delhi: Restraining coercive action on part of the Andhra Pradesh government against two Telugu news channels, the Supreme Court on Monday said “it is time we define the limits of sedition”.
Justice DY Chandrachud of the apex court observed “the Andhra Pradesh government’s act of filing sedition cases against the channels is muffling channels”, adding it is time the court defines sedition”.
The apex court’s observation came as the two channels were charged in an FIR with sedition allegedly for airing the comments of YSR Congress rebel MP Kanumuri Raghurama Krishnam Raju, who had lashed out at the state government over its handling of the Covid pandemic.
TV 5 and ABN Andhra Jyoti moved the apex court stating the state government had violated a recent court order that restrained the governments from punishing citizens for flagging Covid-19 related grievances.
The apex court bench also comprising Justice L. Nageswara Rao and Justice S. Ravindra Bhat sought the Andhra Pradesh government’s response within four weeks on the pleas of the two channels.
Expressing a prima facie view that FIRs are an attempt to “muzzle media freedom”, the apex court also categorically stated that there shall be no coercive action against the employees or the staffers of the two news channels.