Sedition

noun (uncountable)

/sɪˈdɪʃ.ən/

Conduct or speech inciting rebellion or resistance against the authority of a state or ruler. In India, Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code (1860) — drafted by Thomas Macaulay — criminalised sedition, but the Supreme Court in S.G. Vombatkere v. Union of India (May 2022) stayed all prosecutions pending re-examination. The law carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, making it one of the most debated provisions in India's security architecture.

✍️ Usage in a UPSC answer

The Supreme Court's 2022 stay on Section 124A prosecutions reignited the debate over whether colonial-era sedition law has any legitimate place in a democratic republic that guarantees freedom of expression under Article 19(1)(a).

Synonyms

insurrectionsubversiontreasonincitementrebellionmutiny

Antonyms

loyaltyallegiancepatriotismcompliance

🌱 Word Family

seditious (adjective), seditiously (adverb), seditiousness (noun), seditionist (noun)

🔡 Root

Latin seditio = a going apart, revolt; sed- (variant of se-) = apart + itio = a going (from ire = to go)

📜 Etymology

From Latin seditio (civil discord, mutiny), entering Middle English via Anglo-French sedicion around the 14th century. Originally denoted a literal 'going apart' of citizens from the state's authority; by the 17th century it had solidified into its legal sense of speech or acts undermining government loyalty.

🧠 Memory Hook

Break it as 'se-DITION' — think of a nation that is 'sedated' into division. The root sed- (apart) + ire (go) means people 'going apart' from the state — once you see the split, the meaning is unforgettable.

📝 Seen in UPSC Question Papers

Prelims 2015 — Modern India

Real UPSC previous-year questions whose text uses “Sedition” — proof this word earns its place on your list.

🛡️ Internal Security 📖 Seen in: Internal Security — Threats, Cyber Sec...

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