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Supreme Court puts sedition law on hold, no new FIRs to be lodged till review is complete

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The Supreme Court on Wednesday urged the Centre and state governments to refrain from registering any FIRs invoking sedition provision, Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code, till review of the law by the Centre is complete.

A bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana and comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli said till the review of the sedition provision by the Centre is complete, the governments should not use the sedition provision.

In an interim order, the bench said no new FIRs should be lodged under the sedition provision and those already in jail can approach courts for relief.

The Centre proposed issuing an advisory to the state governments that only a police officer of the rank of Superintendent of Police (SP) — who may record in writing the reasons for a case involving sedition provision (Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code) — as it cannot prevent police from registering a cognizable offence under sedition provision.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, submitted that the government proposes that a police officer of the level of SP or above should decide, for now, on whether a sedition charge should be filed in future FIRs. He added that as the government reviews the sedition law, pending sedition cases can be reviewed, and the courts can decide on the bail application of those under Section 124A IPC, expeditiously.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing one of the petitioners, contended that Section 124A has become prima facie unconstitutional and the apex court must stay application of the sedition provision, till the Centre reviews the provision.

Mehta submitted that as far as pending cases are concerned, gravity of each case is not known, maybe there is a terror angle, and also the pending cases are before judicial forum. “We need to trust the courts,” he added.

Justice Kant told Sibal, “What is this argument…Can it be struck down today?” The bench added that it is looking for an answer who can be an impartial authority, in the view of Centre’s proposal, and asked Sibal what an arrangement in the interregnum can be done.

On Tuesday, the top court had sought the Centre’s response on pending and future cases registered under the sedition law.

The Ministry of Home Affairs in its affidavit said the Prime Minister of India has been cognizant of various views expressed on the subject and has also periodically, in various forums, expressed his clear and unequivocal views in favour of protection of civil liberties, respect for human rights and giving to the constitutionally cherished freedoms to the people of the country.

The home ministry added that the Prime Minister has repeatedly said that one of India’s strengths is the diverse thought streams that beautifully flourish in the country. The ministry said the Prime Minister believes that at a time when the nation is marking Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (75 years of Independence), as a nation it is essential to work harder to shed colonial baggage that passed its utility, which includes outdated colonial laws and practices.

“The Government of India, being fully cognizant of various views being expressed on the subject of sedition and also having considered the concerns of civil liberties and human rights, while committed to maintain and protect the sovereignty and integrity of this nation, has decided to re-examine and re-consider the provisions of Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code, which can only be done before the competent forum,” said the affidavit.

General

Strict action will now be taken against criminals who flee the country. Their passports will be cancelled and they will not be able to travel abroad.

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New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated that fugitives involved in various crimes, including terrorist activities, gangsterism, cyber and economic crimes, who flee the country will not be spared under any circumstances. A more stringent approach will be adopted against them. During the process of issuing Red Corner Notices against such fugitives, their passports will be red flagged, meaning they will be cancelled, preventing them from legally moving from one country to another. He also called for at least one special jail in each state, meeting international standards, to be built to refute fugitives’ claims in foreign courts about the poor quality of facilities in Indian prisons. Home Minister Amit Shah made this statement on Thursday at a two-day conference organized by the CBI on “Extradition of Fugitives – Challenges and Strategies.”

He stated that after 2027, any accused in an FIR will be able to receive justice within three years, from the lower court to the Supreme Court. He also urged police officers from all states present to establish a focus group to coordinate narcotics, terrorism, gangsterism, economic, and cybercrime, which the IB and CBI should work to accelerate through the Multi-Agency Center (MAC). He emphasized that a strict approach should be adopted not only against corruption, crime, and terrorism, but also against gangsters and criminals operating in syndicates outside India. No matter how swift the tactics of crime and criminals, access to justice must be even faster. Referring to the three new criminal laws that will come into effect in July 2024, Shah said that for the first time since independence, a provision has been made to prosecute fugitives even in their absence. Thus, if a fugitive is convicted, his status under international law changes significantly.

The enactment of the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act in 2018 empowered the government to seize the assets of fugitives. Within just four years, we have seized assets worth nearly two billion dollars, and between 2014 and 2023, assets worth approximately $12 billion have been seized. The Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) has also been strengthened. Since the CBI is the designated agency in India for the extradition of fugitives who have fled abroad, each state should establish a special cell unit with the agency’s assistance to create a mechanism for bringing back fugitives who have fled their respective states. The CBI has established a Global Operations Center (GOC) to apprehend fugitives internationally, providing real-time coordination with police forces around the world.

Regarding the online portal “Bharatpol,” established by the CBI for international police cooperation, the Home Minister stated that it has achieved significant results since its inception in January 2025. Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, the Foreign Secretary, CBI Director Praveen Sood, and IB Chiefs, along with police officers from various states, were present on the occasion. A SOP will be developed through discussions during this two-day conference, which will address the challenges of repatriating fugitives, tracking their real-time status, and identifying shortcomings in their failure to be repatriated.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai BMC employees and officers get bonus Diwali gift

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Mumbai: The Mumbai Municipal Corporation administration has announced a bonus of Rs 31,000 to the officers and employees of Mumbai BMC Corporation for Diwali – 2025.

The decision to provide bonus grant to the officers / employees of the Municipal Corporation for Diwali 2025 was announced by the Municipal Commissioner and Administrator Bhushan Gagrani. The order, details and amount of ex-gratia grant are as follows. The officers / employees of the corporation are Rs 31,000 bonus
‎Private primary school teachers / non-teaching staff who received the grant of Rs 31,000. Municipal primary school and aided private primary school teaching Rs. 31,000. Secondary school teachers / non-teaching staff (aided/unaided): Rs. 31,000/
‎5. Secondary school teaching staff (aided/unaided): Rs. 31,000.Teacher School Lecturer/Non-Teaching Staff (Aided/Unaided): Rs. 31,000.Teacher School Teaching Staff (Full Time) (Aided/Unaided): Rs. 31,000Social Health Volunteer (CHV): Bhaubej Gift Rs. 14,000/-
‎9. Kindergarten Teacher/Helper – Bhaubej Gift Rs. 05,000/-
‎Maharashtra Chief Minister. Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister. Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister. Ajit Pawar has greeted the officers and employees of the Municipal Corporation on the occasion of Diwali.
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Maharashtra

Gadchiroli : After the surrender of commander Bhupati alias Sanu and 60 Maoists with weapons, the Naxalites got a shock, confidence in government was restored : Devendra Fadnavis

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Mumbai: The end of Maoists in Maharashtra is near. In Gudchiroli, a prominent Maoist, Venugopal Malujo alias Bhupati alias Sonu, who was active in many places, has surrendered along with his associates. 60 Maoists have surrendered before the Gudchiroli police, which is a big success for the Maharashtra Police. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said that the Naxalites have been eliminated from the state’s Gadchiroli area and many Maoists have surrendered and they have returned to the right path and normal life. Their faith in the Constitution of India and the administration has been restored. It is a great blessing that the Naxalites have been eliminated from the state. Soon, the 10 to 15 Maoists who are hiding in the forests will also surrender. He said that Bhupati had expressed his desire to surrender. The police were in touch with him and then he expressed his desire that he wanted to surrender to me. So I said that I am ready to go to the forest too. But Bhupati was brought here and today Bhupati has surrendered. This is a big success. With the efforts of the central and state governments, the Naxalites have now become unstable and weak, which is why many Naxalites have surrendered before.

Fadnavis has said that the red terror has ended, the surrender of Naxalites from the borders around Gudchiroli is certain, due to the crackdown on Maoists from Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka and other borders, Maoists have either surrendered or repented from Naxalism to a large extent. He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah’s dream of a Pakistan-India relationship with the Naxalites is being realized in shame. Bhupati was a Maoist who was the backbone and ideological ideology of the Maoists. His surrender will further strengthen the police operation. He said that it is the result of the hard work of all the senior officers including Maharashtra Police DGP Rashmi Shukla and the officers involved in the Naxal operation that the Maoists’ back has been broken today. Fadnavis said that there was a reward of Rs 6 crore on the Naxalites and now this Maoist has been brought back to the right path.

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