Whoever, purposely or knowingly, by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or by electronic communication or by use of financial mean, or otherwise, excites or attempts to excite, secession or armed rebellion or subversive activities, or encourages feelings of separatist activities or endangers sovereignty or unity and integrity of India; or indulges in or commits any such act shall be punished with imprisonment for life or with imprisonment which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.
Explanation — ––Comments expressing disapprobation of the measures, or administrative or other action of the Government with a view to obtain their alteration by lawful means without exciting or attempting to excite the activities referred to in this section do not constitute an offence under this section.
Legal Commentary & Landmark Judgments: Section 152
Section 152 penalizes acts endangering the Sovereignty, Unity, and Integrity of India, replacing the colonial offence of Sedition with a modernized constitutional standard.
Section 152 discards the colonial concept of 'sedition' (which punished mere disaffection against the British Crown) and substitutes a standard focused on 'endangering the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India'. Crucially, the statutory Explanation protects political dissent, journalistic critique, and democratic protest, confining criminality to armed rebellion, violent separatism, and subversive insurrection.