Tribunal to decide if PFI ban is justified
New Delhi, October 7
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) today issued a notification constituting a tribunal, which will be presided over by Delhi High Court judge Dinesh Kumar Sharma, to adjudicate whether sufficient grounds were available for declaring the Popular Front of India (PFI) and eight associate groups as unlawful under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act UAPA.
In the notification, the MHA said, “The Central Government hereby constitutes an Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal consisting of Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma, High Court of Delhi, for the purpose of adjudicating whether or not there is sufficient cause for declaring the Popular Front of India and its associates or affiliates or fronts including Rehab India Foundation (RIF), Campus Front of India (CFI), All-India Imams Council (AIIC), National Confederation of Human Rights Organisation (NCHRO), National Women’s Front, Junior Front, Empower India Foundation and Rehab Foundation, Kerala, as unlawful associations.”
Earlier, the Department of Justice in the Ministry of Law had sent a communication to the MHA informing that Justice Sharma will head the tribunal.
Once an organisation is banned under the UAPA, a tribunal is set up by the government to adjudicate whether there is sufficient ground for the decision.
According to the procedure, the MHA requests the Law Ministry to name a sitting judge of high court as presiding officer of the tribunal. The Law Minister then requests the chief justice of the high court concerned to recommend a judge to head the tribunal.
Banned for 5 yrs
The PFI and its associates were banned by the government for five years under provisions of the UAPA on September 28, accusing them of having ‘links’ with global terror groups, including the ISIS
