The Supreme Court clarified on Monday that sedition charges cannot be brought against a person merely for raising a voice against the government or its policies. The clarification became necessary in view of the controversy generated after sedition charges were re-cases, sparking demands for the law to be scrapped. A bench of Justices Dipak Misra and UU Lalit said the apex court had settled the controversy on sedition law way back in 1962 and had clarified under what circumstances the penal provision could be used. “We are of the opinion that the authorities, while dealing with offences under Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code, shall be guided by the principles laid down by the Constitution Bench in Kedar Nath Singh vs State of Bihar,” the bench said. Refusing to re-examine the issue afresh, the bench said the guidelines framed by the Constitution Bench 54 years ago were good enough in the present circumstances. The court had clarified in its 1962 verdict that a “citizen has a right to say or write whatever he likes about the government, or its measures, by way of criticism or comment, so long as he does not incite people to violence against the government established by law or with the intention of creating public disorder”. The Supreme Court collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India TS Thakur, has rejected the candidature of 11 lawyers and at least half a dozen others from the state judicial service for judgeship of the Allahabad high court. The HC collegiums had recommended at least 44 names in April, about 30 of them practicing lawyers, for appointment as judges of the country’s largest high court. The final list of candidates selected for judgeship of the Allahabad High Court includes two senior advocates from the Supreme Court – Dinesh Kumar Singh and CD Singh – and at least 17 other practicing lawyers form Allahabad and Lucknow bars.