The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal, a central government body that consists of Delhi High Court Judge Justice Sachin Datta, has confirmed the ban on Shabir Shah’s Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party as an unlawful party.
The order was given by Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati and Advocate Rajat Nair for the Ministry of Home Affairs and will be sent to the government within a few days.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) recently established the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal to determine whether there are sufficient grounds to designate the Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (JKDFP) as an unlawful association.
A notification issued by the central government outlined the formation of the tribunal, chaired by Justice Sachin Datta, Judge of the High Court of Delhi, for this purpose.
JKDFP classified as unlawful under UAPA
In October 2023, the Government of India classified the ‘Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party’ (JKDFP) as an ‘Unlawful Association’ under Section 3(1) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) 1967.
According to a press statement accompanying the notification, the JKDFP has been implicated in anti-national activities since 1998, with its members actively promoting separatism and engaging in terrorist acts within India.
The organization’s agenda, as stated in the press release, aims to incite separatist sentiments among the populace to establish a separate Islamic state in Kashmir, posing a threat to India’s sovereignty, security, and integrity.
Numerous criminal cases have been lodged against the JKDFP under various statutes, including the UAPA 1967, IPC 1860, The Arms Act 1959, and the Ranbir Penal Code 1932.