<p class="title">Congress on Tuesday promised to repeal laws dealing with sedition and criminal defamation and review the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) enforced in Jammu & Kashmir and some north-eastern states.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In its manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections, Congress also promised to set up a court of Appeal between the High Courts and the Supreme Court to hear appeals from judgments and orders of High Courts.</p>.<p class="bodytext">However, its assurance to review the AFSPA triggered a war of words with the BJP which accused the Congress of trying to demoralise the Armed Forces with “such a disgraceful policy”.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The promise to amend the Code of Criminal Procedure to affirm the principle that 'bail is the rule and jail is exception' also drew scorn from the BJP.</p>.<p class="bodytext">“Rahul Gandhi is saying that everyone should get bail. I want to ask him, is it your effort to save your corrupt people like Karti Chidambaram,” BJP President Amit Shah asked.</p>.<p class="CrossHead"><span class="bold"><strong>Scrapping of sedition laws, electoral bonds</strong></span></p>.<p class="bodytext">In a series of changes to the existing laws, Congress has promised to omit section 499 of the Indian Penal Code to make defamation a civil offence.</p>.<p class="bodytext">It also promised to omit 124A of the Indian Penal Code that defines the offence of sedition which it claimed had been misused and had become redundant because of subsequent laws.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Congress also promised to usher in electoral reforms, by promising to scrap the 'opaque' electoral bonds scheme that was designed to favour the ruling party.</p>.<p class="bodytext">It also promised to set up a National Election Fund to which any person may make a contribution. The funds would be allocated at the time of elections to recognised political parties in accordance with criteria laid down by the law.</p>
<p class="title">Congress on Tuesday promised to repeal laws dealing with sedition and criminal defamation and review the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) enforced in Jammu & Kashmir and some north-eastern states.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In its manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections, Congress also promised to set up a court of Appeal between the High Courts and the Supreme Court to hear appeals from judgments and orders of High Courts.</p>.<p class="bodytext">However, its assurance to review the AFSPA triggered a war of words with the BJP which accused the Congress of trying to demoralise the Armed Forces with “such a disgraceful policy”.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The promise to amend the Code of Criminal Procedure to affirm the principle that 'bail is the rule and jail is exception' also drew scorn from the BJP.</p>.<p class="bodytext">“Rahul Gandhi is saying that everyone should get bail. I want to ask him, is it your effort to save your corrupt people like Karti Chidambaram,” BJP President Amit Shah asked.</p>.<p class="CrossHead"><span class="bold"><strong>Scrapping of sedition laws, electoral bonds</strong></span></p>.<p class="bodytext">In a series of changes to the existing laws, Congress has promised to omit section 499 of the Indian Penal Code to make defamation a civil offence.</p>.<p class="bodytext">It also promised to omit 124A of the Indian Penal Code that defines the offence of sedition which it claimed had been misused and had become redundant because of subsequent laws.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Congress also promised to usher in electoral reforms, by promising to scrap the 'opaque' electoral bonds scheme that was designed to favour the ruling party.</p>.<p class="bodytext">It also promised to set up a National Election Fund to which any person may make a contribution. The funds would be allocated at the time of elections to recognised political parties in accordance with criteria laid down by the law.</p>
