Repackaged Sedition: BNS 152 Threatens Press Freedom

The transition from the colonial-era IPC to the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) was supposed to end sedition, but Section 152 merely repackaged it. Criminalizing acts that “endanger sovereignty,” it carries a disproportionate life imprisonment sentence. In August 2025, the Assam Police weaponized this ambiguous section to summon senior journalists, treating legitimate critique as subversion.

The Bharat Media Association views this as a severe threat, warning that Section 152 creates a chilling environment where journalists face crippling legal burdens and physical intimidation simply for questioning the government.