News Reporter
Ministry of Home Affairs Takes Decisive Action
Guwahati, 29 November, 2023: In a significant development, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has established a tribunal, headed by Justice Sanjay Kumar Medhi from the Gauhati High Court, to adjudicate the extended ban on Meitei extremist groups in Manipur.
According to an official notification issued on November 28, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal has been constituted to determine whether there is substantial cause to declare Meitei Extremist Organizations, including their factions, wings, and front organizations, as "unlawful associations."
This move comes approximately 15 days after the MHA declared multiple Meitei extremist organizations, their factions, wings, and front organizations as unlawful associations under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, imposing a five-year ban.
The notification, exercising powers conferred by the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, states, "The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal" will assess the justification for declaring entities like the Peoples' Liberation Army (PLA) and its political wing, the Revolutionary Peoples' Front (RPF), the United National Liberation Front (UNLF) and its armed wing, the Manipur Peoples' Army (MPA), the Peoples' Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) and its armed wing, the "Red Army," the Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) and its armed wing, also known as the "Red Army," the Kanglei Yaol Kanba Lup (KYKL), the Coordination Committee (CorCom), and the Alliance for Socialist Unity Kangleipak (ASUK) as 'Unlawful Associations.'
The MHA's initial declaration on November 13 marked these Meitei extremist organizations as unlawful associations, invoking the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for a five-year duration.
This tribunal's establishment adds a judicial dimension to the government's actions, underscoring the seriousness with which it views the activities of these Meitei extremist groups. The adjudication process will play a crucial role in determining the continued legal status of these organizations, impacting regional security dynamics. Stay tuned for updates on this unfolding legal saga.