Press Trust of India, New Delhi
A tribunal constituted by the Union home ministry has confirmed the ban imposed on the Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (JKDFP), headed by jailed separatist Shabir Ahmad Shah.
The Union home ministry had on October 5, 2023, declared the JKDFP a banned group under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 for five years for its “anti-India” and “pro-Pakistan” activities.
Subsequently, the tribunal was constituted with Delhi high court judge justice Sachin Datta as its head for the purpose of adjudicating whether or not there is sufficient cause for declaring the JKDFP an unlawful association.
In a recent notification, the home ministry said the tribunal in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (3) of section 4 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 passed an order on April 3, 2024, confirming the declaration of JKDFP an unlawful organisation.
In its order, the tribunal noted that the elaborate material and evidence placed on record before it found that there was ample justification to declare the JKDFP an unlawful association under the UAPA.
It said the activities of the JKDFP has had a deleterious effect on maintenance of law and order in the region of Jammu and Kashmir over the last several decades.
“The modicum of stability that has come about after 2019 (as is evident from the reduced number of unconducive incidents) could not have been allowed to be jeopardised on account of continuing activities of the concerned association,” it observed.
The tribunal noted that in the framework of the Indian constitution and the UAPA, there is no space for an association like the JKDFP which openly propagates secessionism, avowedly expresses dis-allegiance to the Constitution of India, and undermines the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country.
