Mysore, Karnataka

The Vice President of People's Union for Civil Liberties, Karnataka Chapter (PUCL-K), Dr E Rati Rao, was issued a sedition notice on February 26 by Vijayanagara police for bringing out an in-house bulletin in Kannada �PUCL Karnataka Varthapatra. Publication of the bulletin, meant for private circulation, was discontinued in September 2007.

In a letter to the Mysore Police Commissioner dated March 1, Dr Rao stated:

PUCL is a human rights organization which works for the protection of the constitutional rights of people in a peaceful and democratic manner. In fact, the work of PUCL only strengthens democratic functioning and assists the Police Department in carrying out its onerous duties. This being the case, I am pained to note that the FIR is filed under Section 124 A, which concerns sedition. The PUCL-Karnataka Varthapatra bulletins do not contain any seditious matter against any Government and nor do they contain any matter that may bring ill will or disaffection amongst any sections of the people of our country. I therefore request you to kindly withdraw Sections 124 A and 505.

Since the PUCL-Karnataka Varthapatra was published only for private circulation amongst PUCL members (and moreover was stopped way back in September 2007), I request you not to apply the provisions of the Press & Registration Act.