Bombay high court asks Centre, state to explain process to ban extremist outfits

The Bombay high court (HC) has asked the central and state governments to inform the procedure that they would adopt to ban an extremist outfit. The directions were

The Bombay high court (HC) has asked the central and state governments to inform the procedure that they would adopt to ban an extremist outfit. The directions were passed while hearing a criminal public interest litigation (PIL) that sought a ban on right-wing outfit Sanatan Sanstha under section 3 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), as its name had cropped up in the murder of rationalists Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare and for planting bombs in auditoriums in Thane and Vashi. The matter has been posted for hearing on March 4.

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The division bench of justice Ranjit More and justice S P Tavade while eharing a criminal public interest litigation filed by Arshad Ali Ansari through advocate Rajesh Khobragade was informed that Ansari had made a representation to the central and state government to ban the right wing organisation. However as the same was not decided as yet, he had approached the HC seeking directions to ban the outfit.

On its part, additional public prosecutor for the state informed the court that deciding on the representation was the prerogative of Ministry of Home Affairs and hence they could not do anything. However, the advocate for the union submitted that the MHA would initiate proceedings only after receiving a report from the state regarding the outfit.

After hearing the submissions the bench sought to know what the normal procedure was adopted while deciding on such representations to ban outfits that have alleged roles in criminal activities.