The Delhi High Court on Thursday said it would hear on July 14 the Centre’s objections regarding the maintainability of the Popular Front of India’s (PFI) petition challenging a five-year ban imposed on the organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
A bench comprising Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela noted that the issues raised in the matter warranted consideration. The court said the maintainability of the plea would be taken up and decided at the next hearing.
The PFI has challenged the March 21, 2024 order passed by the UAPA Tribunal, which had confirmed the Central Government’s September 27, 2022 notification banning the organisation and its affiliates for alleged links with global terror outfits like ISIS and for inciting communal disharmony in the country.
Appearing for the Centre, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S.V. Raju opposed the petition, arguing that no notice could be issued on the mere request of the petitioner’s counsel. Raju contended that the plea itself was not maintainable, as the tribunal was chaired by a sitting High Court judge and its orders could not be challenged under Article 226 of the Constitution.
PFI’s counsel informed the court that the matter had been listed for hearing on 14 occasions but no formal notice had been issued so far. The petitioner urged the court to direct the Centre to file its response, a plea that was opposed by the ASG.
The Centre had declared the PFI and its affiliates — including Rehab India Foundation (RIF), Campus Front of India (CFI), All India Imams Council (AIIC), National Confederation of Human Rights Organisation (NCHRO), National Women’s Front, Junior Front, Empower India Foundation and Rehab Foundation, Kerala — as “unlawful associations” under the UAPA.
The High Court will now consider whether the petition challenging the tribunal’s order confirming the ban is legally tenable before proceeding further with the case.
