Defamation, sedition laws under panel's scrutiny

NEW DELHI: If ending anomalies in civil law has prompted the Law Commission of India (LCI) to look at uniform civil code, reform in criminal justice system has led it to zero in on sedition and defamation laws.

In the backdrop of the "intolerance" debate, the LCI has begun examining all laws affecting freedom of speech and expression. These include laws relating to sedition, defamation and absence of safeguards in the realm of online trolling, right to privacy etc.

For the first time, LCI has decided to organise a conference on this topic where it hopes to gather leading jurists, sitting Supreme Court and high court judges, lawyers, academicians and media professionals to brain storm on the issue.

TOI has learnt that the outcome of the conference may be compiled and submitted to the central government as the LCI's view on further course of action on sedition and related laws.

"Object of the conference is to provide an excellent opportunity for sharing of every possible understanding, ideas and views relating to freedom of speech and expression: to receive wisdom from all possible source and fuse them into our administration of justice," a person associated with the conference said.

Organised in association with Commonwealth Legal Education Association the conference will be hosted in Greater Noida at Lloyd Law College where BJP leader Subramaniam Swami, former union minister Salman Khurshid and civil rights lawyer Prashant Bhushan are some of the invitees.

The conference, slated to be held on November 5 and 6 is being held to help LCI "clarify, consolidate and codify particular branches of law," the proposal says. It further explains that current Chairman of LCI, Justice B S Chauhan, is considering criminal justice reform in the country, "of which freedom of speech and expression and sedition forms a part."