TABLE OF CONTENTS

Description Page No.

Acknowledgement i - ii
Abbreviations iii - iv
List of Cases v-x
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1 – 24
1.1 Sedition vis-a-vis Freedom of Speech and 2
Expression: National Legal Perspective
1.2 Scope of the Offence of Sedition under IPC 6
1.3 Interpretation of Sedition: Pre and Post- 6
Independence
1.4 Sedition vis-a-vis Freedom of Speech and 8
Expression: International Perspective
1.5 Problem Profile 12
1.6 Review of Literature 16
1.6.1 Books 16
1.6.2 Articles 20
1.7 Research Objectives 22
1.8 Research Questions 23
1.9 Scope of Study 23
1.10 Research Methodology 23
1.11 Chapterisation 24
CHAPTER 2 SEDITION AND FREEDOM OF SPEECH 25 – 88
AND EXPRESSION: HISTORICAL
DEVELOPMENT AND CONCEPTUAL
DIMENSIONS
2.1 Introduction 25
2.2 History of Freedom of Speech and Expression 26
2.3 Concept of Freedom of Speech and Expression 30
2.4 Sedition: Historical Background 33
2.4.1 English Law 35
2.4.2 Sedition in Common Law 39
2.4.3 India 46
2.4.4 United States 60
2.4.5 Australia 62
2.4.6 Canada 67
2.4.7 New Zealand 71
2.4.8 Singapore and Malaysia 72

2.5 Sedition: The Concept 76

2.6 Public Order: The Concept 82
2.6.1 ‘Public Order’ as a ‘Reasonable’ Restriction to 84
Contain ‘Free Speech’
2.6.2 Public Order and Preventive Measures 85

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 2.7 Conclusion 88
CHAPTER 3 SEDITION VIS-À-VIS FREEDOM OF 89 - 162
SPEECH AND EXPRESSION: NATIONAL
LEGAL PERSPECTIVE
3.1 Introduction 89
3.2 Free Speech and Governance 90
3.3 The Constituent Assembly Debate on Sedition 91
3.4 Scope of the offence of Sedition under Indian 95
Penal Code, 1860
3.5 Attempt to Excite Disaffection, Hatred or 102
Contempt
3.6 Abetment of Sedition 109
3.7 The Procedural Aspect 115
3.8 Preventive Measures 117
3.8.1 The Dramatic Performance Act, 1876 119

3.8.2 The Vernacular Press Act, 1878 122

3.8.3 Security for Good Behaviour 125

3.8.4 The Indian Post Office Act, 1898 129

3.8.5 Restrictions on Meetings 130

3.8.6 The Indian Press Act, 1910 132

3.8.7 Defence of India Rules 136

3.8.8 The Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1961 136

3.8.9 Forfeiture under the Code of Criminal 138

Procedure, 1973
3.8.9.1 Constitutionality of Orders of Forfeiture 139

3.8.10 Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 143

3.8.11 Other Provisions in the Interest of Public Order 144

3.9 Sedition vis-à-vis Freedom of Speech and 149

Expression
3.10 Recent Events: Moment of Contradiction 151
Between Sedition and Freedom of
Speech and Expression

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 3.11 Proposed Amendment Bills by Members of 157
Parliament
3.12 Recommendations of Law Commission 160

3.13 Conclusion 162

CHAPTER 4 SEDITION VIS-A-VIS FREEDOM OF 163 - 250

SPEECH AND EXPRESSION:
INTERNATIONAL LEGAL PERSPECTIVE
4.1 Introduction 163

4.2 England 164

4.2.1 Freedom of Expression: Common Law vis-à-vis 176

Convention Right
4.2.2 Coexistence of Sedition and Freedom of 178
Expression in England
4.2.3 The Motion of Abolition 179

4.3 United States of America 182

4.3.1 The Alien and The Sedition Act 185

4.3.2 The Espionage and Sedition Act 187

4.3.3 The Alien Registration Act or the Smith Act 189

4.4 New Zealand 197

4.4.1 Freedom of Expression in New Zealand 201

4.4.2 Consistency of Freedom of Expression under 202

Bill of Rights and Seditious Offences under
Crimes Act, 1961.
4.4.3 The Proposal for Repeal of Sedition laws 206

4.5 Australia 207

4.5.1 Review of Sedition Laws 211

4.5.2 Sedition Laws Within States 217

4.5.3 International Human Rights Obligations and 221

Sedition
4.5.4 Constitutionality of Sedition Law 225

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 4.6 Canada 227

4.7 Malaysia 231

4.7.1 Prohibition of Measures under the Act 234

4.7.2 Freedom of Speech in Malaysia 238

4.7.3 International Obligations 239

4.7.4 Recent Instances when Sedition Law has been 240

put into Operation are as follows
4.8 Singapore 243

4.8.1 Freedom of Expression in Singapore 247

4.9 Conclusion 250

CHAPTER 5 SEDITION VIS-À-VIS FREEDOM OF 251 - 354

SPEECH AND EXPRESSION: JUDICIAL
INTERPRETATION
5.1 Introduction 251

5.2 Sedition vis-à-vis Freedom of Speech and 251

Expression: The Common Law
5.2.1 Truth as a Defence: The Authority of Judge or 256
Jury
5.2.2 Seditious Prosecutions during French 267
Revolution to Peterloo
5.2.3 The Prosecution of Sedition in Twentieth 268
Century
5.3 Conflict between Sedition Law and Freedom of 270
Expression in United States
5.3.1 Trials under the Sedition Act, 1798 271

5.3.2 Trials under The Espionage Act 1917 and the 276
Sedition Act, 1918
5.3.3 Trials under The Smith Act, 1940 282

5.3.4 The Shift to the ‘Balancing Test’ 284

5.3.5 Emergence of ‘Imminent Lawless Action’ Test 288

5.4 Australia 291

5.5 Prosecution for Sedition in New Zealand 297

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 5.6 Canada 304

5.7 Singapore 305

5.8 Malaysia 307

5.9 Judicial Interpretation of Law of Sedition by 308

Courts in India
5.9.1 Colonial Interpretation 309

5.9.2 The Moment of Conflict in Interpretation 323

5.9.3 Post Constitution Interpretation 326

5.9.4 Sedition vis-à-vis Freedom of Speech and 328

Expression
5.9.5 The Moment of Clarification 338

5.9.6 Expanding Ambit of Freedom of Speech and 353

Expression
5.10 Conclusion 354

CHAPTER 6 CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTIONS 355 - 372

6.1 Conclusion 355

6.2 Suggestions 363

BIBLIOGRAPHY 373 - 388

RESEARCH PAPER

SEMINAR CERTIFICATES

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