MHA forms tribunal to assess ULFA’s status as unlawful association | India News

NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has established a tribunal to examine whether the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and its associated groups should be classified as an unlawful organization. Justice Michael Zothankhuma of the Gauhati High Court will lead the tribunal.
This action, announced via a gazette notification, utilizes the powers granted under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act of 1967. It comes approximately a month after the MHA renewed a five-year ban on ULFA. The government justified the ban citing ULFA’s ongoing efforts to separate Assam from India, connections with other insurgent groups, and involvement in extortion and violence.
ULFA was initially banned in 1990, and the ban has been periodically extended, most recently in November 2019. The MHA’s November notification justifying the ban extension stated, “ULFA has declared its objective to secede Assam from India, continued intimidation and extortion of funds for their organisation, and maintained links with other insurgent groups for extortion and violence.
The outfit has possessed illegal arms and ammunition, indulged in 16 criminal cases, including several cases of explosions or planting of explosives in Assam during the period from November 27, 2019, to July 1, 2024, and planted several improvised explosive devices or explosives in the run-up to Independence Day, 2024 across Assam.”
The MHA also reported ULFA’s involvement in various criminal activities during the past five years, including fatalities of ULFA members during security operations, arrests, surrenders, and the recovery of weapons and explosives.
The five-year ban extension, effective from November 27, 2024, designates ULFA and its related groups as an unlawful association. ULFA is one of 17 organizations currently listed as unlawful under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, including groups like the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and the Popular Front of India (PFI). The Central Government has the authority to declare any organization as unlawful across India under this Act.