MHA notifies tribunals to examine ban on Muslim League, Tehreek-e-Hurriyat

The Delhi high court’s justice Sachin Dutta will head the the two tribunals that have been set up to examine if the Centre had sufficient cause to ban the two organisations

NEW DELHI: The ministry of home affairs (MHA) has constituted tribunals under the terror law, Unlawful Activities Prevention Act or UAPA, to adjudicate whether the ban on two Kashmir-based organisations, Muslim League and Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, was justified.

The Home ministry is required to refer the ban to a tribunal within 30 days (FILE PHOTO)

Justice Sachin Dutta of the High Court of Delhi will preside over the two tribunals.

The home ministry banned the Muslim League, led by Masarat Alam Bhat, and Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, founded by deceased separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, under UAPA on December 27 and December 31, 2023, respectively.

The ministry’s order on the formation of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal headed by justice Sachin Datta was issued on Tuesday. An identical notification to nominate the judge to head the tribunal to decide if there were sufficient grounds to ban the Muslim League was issued late on Monday.

Once the tribunal receives a reference from the MHA, the tribunal issues a show-cause notice to the organisations concerned to present their version on the government decision.

The proceedings before the tribunal involve the recording of statements of investigating officers, and experts, evidence against the activities of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat and Muslim League by the MHA as well as recording the arguments of the organisation concerned.