Rajasthan High Court’s Warning on Sedition in Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)

• Section 152 of BNS criminalizes secession, armed rebellion, and subversive activities.

• ‘knowingly’ term lowers the offence threshold, especially in social media context.

• Lack of statutory requirement to establish causal linkage makes Section 152 vulnerable to abuse.

• NCRB data shows only 12 people convicted in seven cases for sedition between 2015 and 2020.

• Judiciary adopts consequentialist interpretation to balance national interest and freedom of expression.

• Supreme Court should guide enforcement authorities in applying Section 152.

• Liberal space for thoughts, beliefs, and expressions is crucial, especially in the age of social media.