India's Supreme Court has said it will examine the interpretation of sedition law, particularly in light of media rights and free speech.

"We are of the view that provisions of 124A (sedition) and 153 (promoting enmity between classes) of the IPC require interpretation, particularly on the issue of the rights of press and free speech," said the bench of Justices DY Chandrachud, LN Rao and S Ravindra Bhat yesterday, reports our New Delhi correspondent.

The remark came after the court gave protection to two regional TV news channels of Andhra Pradesh from any coercive action in a case lodged against them under the colonial era legal provision.

The channels were booked by Andhra Pradesh state police for alleged sedition in showing ''offensive'' speeches of ruling YSR Congress party's rebel lawmaker K Raghu Rama Krishna Raju who was arrested by the state police.

The top court restrained the Andhra Pradesh police from taking any coercive action against the channels and their employees or staffers in connection with the FIR.

The bench also sought the response of the state government within four weeks on the pleas of the channels which are charged with various offences including the harsh penal offence of sedition.