Concerned over “enormous misuse” of the colonial-era penal law on sedition, the Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Centre why it was not repealing the provision used by the British to “silence” people like Mahatma Gandhi to suppress freedom movement.

A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana agreed to examine the pleas filed by Editors Guild of India and a former major general, challenging the constitutionality of Section 124A (sedition) of the IPC. The non-bailable provision makes any speech or expression that “brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards the government” a criminal offence punishable with a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.