Govt sets up tribunal to adjudicate SFJ ban

New Delhi, August 8

To adjudicate its last month’s decision to ban pro-Khalistan group Sikhs For Justice under UAPA, the government has constituted a tribunal to look into the material facts whether or not it should be declared unlawful.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) constitutes a tribunal every time when it bans an organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) to give the outfit a chance to present its case. But the exercise usually remains a no-show as the tribunal mostly endorses the government’s move.

At the time of declaring SFJ an unlawful outfit, the MHA had said the group’s primary objective was to establish an “independent and sovereign country in Punjab and it openly espouses the cause of Khalistan”.

“In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 5 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (37 of 1967), the Central Government hereby constitutes an Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal, consisting of Justice DN Patel, Delhi High Court Chief Justice, for adjudicating whether or not there is sufficient cause of declaring the SFJ as an unlawful association,” read the MHA notification. — TNS

Why proscribed 

• MHA says SFJ is seeking an independent and sovereign country in Punjab
• By doing so, it challenges the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India
• Has been pushing for Sikh Referendum 2020 as part of its separatist agenda