AAP MP Raghav Chadha to introduce Bill against defamation

After a Surat court on Thursday found Congress leader Rahul Gandhi guilty and convicted him to 2 years of jail in a defamation case filed against him over his alleged remark on 'Modi' surname, senior Aam Aadmi Party leader and Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha said he will introduce the Decriminalisation of Defamation Bill, 2023, to repeal Sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Gandhi made the remarks during a political speech in Karnataka in 2019.

Alleging that criminal defamation has now become a tool to supress voice of the Opposition, Chadha in a tweet said, "Soon, I'll be introducing a Bill titled The Decriminalization of Defamation Bill, 2023 to repeal Sections 499 & 500 of the India Penal Code to bring it in line with international jurisprudence on defamation & repeal these relics of colonial past to ensure fearless discourse."

Notably, a Bill seeking decriminalisation of defamation inin the past.