Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma appointed as Presiding Officer of UAPA Tribunal
The Union Government has appointed Justice Dinesh Kumar as the Presiding Officer of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) Tribunal. Sharma is a judge of the Delhi High Court and has been appointed as the presiding officer in the case of the Popular Front of India and its affiliates.
He has been appointed to look after the ban on PFI and its affiliates for five years. The ban has been imposed after incriminating documents were seized during a search operation at the offices of the PFI organization and the residences of its office bearers.
What is the reason for the ban on PFI?
According to the report of National Investigation Agency and Enforcement Directorate, PFI is raising substantial amount of money from abroad in an organized and structured manner. It was also learned from the organization that PFI was raising funds abroad and transferring them to India through secret and illegal means.
What are PFIs?
PFI stands for Popular Front of India. It is an Indian Muslim political organization based on a radical and distinctive style of Muslim minority politics. The organization was formed to counter Hindutva groups and was banned for five years on September 28, 2022 by the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs (UAPA), under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967
This law was made with the aim of preventing activities endangering the sovereignty and integrity of India. Illegal activities are those actions which promote activities by any individual/organization which violates the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country.
This law imposes reasonable restrictions on the freedom of speech and expression, the right to assemble without arms and the right to form associations provided by Article 19 of the Constitution.
The Committee on National Integration and Regionalism appointed by the National Integration Council approved the imposition of reasonable restrictions on the above fundamental rights. This law has been amended in the past also in the years 2004, 2008 and 2012.
