The Maharashtra Government today decided to obliterate the sedition charges against the cartoonist Aseem Trivedi who was earlier arrested for his cartoons that had disrespected the national emblem and also a few politicians.

These orders were passed on to the Bombay Court today a senior home department official told.

"The advocate general (AG), in his advice to the state government, has written that sedition charges slapped on the cartoonist should be dropped. Accordingly, the police have been instructed to make the changes in Trivedi's case," the home department official said. "The controversial cartoonist will now be chargesheeted for dishonoring the national symbols, emblem and parliament” he added.

Experts said that if Trivedi is booked under the Section 2 of the IPC, insult to the national flag and the Indian Constitution, under the Insult to National Honor Act 1971, he may have to face imprisonment upto 3 years and also a fine

Home Minister earlier had postponed the chargesheet to be filed only after the AG's advice. An official later added that the procedure to file the chargesheet would be expedited. The next hearing in the Trivedi case is scheduled on Friday.

(AW- Anil)