UAPA Tribunal Confirms Centre’s 5-Year Ban On Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, Masarat Alam’s Muslim League Faction In Kashmir

The single-member UAPA tribunal of Delhi High Court judge Sachin Datta was constituted under the stringent anti-terror law in January to assess whether there was "sufficient cause" for imposing a ban on the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat (TeH), Jammu Kashmir, and Muslim League faction of Masarat Alam.

Kashmir News: A special tribunal Saturday confirmed the Central government’s decision to impose a five-year ban on Kashmir-based separatist groups, the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat and jailed separatist Masarat Alam-led Muslim League Jammu Kashmir, under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

The single-member UAPA tribunal of Delhi High Court judge Sachin Datta was constituted under the stringent anti-terror law in January to assess whether there was “sufficient cause” for imposing a ban on the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat (TeH), Jammu Kashmir, and Alam’s Muslim League faction.

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati and advocate Rajat Nair represented the government before the tribunal.

Th Centre had on December 27, 2023, outlawed the Muslim League Jammu Kashmir (Masarat Alam faction) under the UAPA for five years for the group’s involvement in anti-national and secessionist activities in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

In a similar vein, days later,  the Centre issued an order on December 31 last year, imposing a five-year ban on the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, Jammu and Kashmir, a prominent secessionist outfit founded by deceased separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

Geelani’s Hurriyat is charged with fomenting terrorism and spreading anti-India propaganda in the Union Territory.

Centre delegates UAPA powers to states, UTs

Earlier, in January this year, the Centre delegated powers under the UAPA to States and Union Territories in relation with the ban on the TeH and Muslim League.

An official notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) stated that the anti-terror law can now be used by State governments as well as Union Territory administrations when dealing with cases related to the ban on the TeH.

“In exercise of the powers conferred by section 42 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, the Central Government hereby directs that all powers exercisable by it under section 7 and section 8 of the said Act shall also be exercised by the State Governments and the Union Territory Administration in relation to the above said unlawful association,” the MHA notification read.

The Section 7 of the UAPA is related to power to prohibit the use of funds of an unlawful association and the Section 8 is related to power to notify places used for the purpose of an unlawful association.

(With PTI inputs)