Congress promise to repeal criminal defamation, sedition nonsense, impractical, says jurist Soli Sorabjee

New Delhi: Noted jurist Soli Sorabjee on Tuesday dubbed as “nonsense” and “impractical”, the promises made by the Congress in its poll manifesto that it would repeal the colonial-era laws on criminal defamation and sedition if voted to power in the upcoming general election. In the manifesto released on Tuesday, the party promised to omit Section 499 of the Indian Penal Code and make defamation a civil offence. It also said, “Sedition has been misused and, in any event, has become redundant because of subsequent laws.” [caption id=“attachment_5097721” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Soli Sorabjee. News18[/caption] On being asked about his views on the Congress party’s promise, Sorabjee said it is “nonsense” and such claim in “impractical”. Congress president Rahul Gandhi is facing trial in a criminal defamation case pending in Bhiwandi in Maharashtra for allegedly blaming RSS for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. Sorabjee, however, refused to comment on Rahul’s pending defamation case. “I would not like to comment on that,” he said. Section 500 of the IPC holds a maximum of two years imprisonment for the offence of criminal defamation. The offence of sedition entails a minimum and maximum punishment of three years and life imprisonment respectively, to which a fine may be added.