Govt constitutes judicial tribunal for adjudication of ban on Meghalaya insurgent group

New Delhi: The Union Home Ministry has constituted a judicial tribunal for the adjudication of a ban imposed on Meghalaya-based insurgent group Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC).

On November 14, the central government declared HNLC a banned organisation for five years for its involvement in violent incidents and carrying out activities prejudicial to India's sovereignty and integrity.

In a notification issued on Friday, the home ministry said that exercising the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 5 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, the central government constituted the tribunal consisting of Justice Soumitra Saikia, a judge of the Gauhati High Court, for adjudicating whether or not there is sufficient cause for declaring the HNLC with all its factions, wings and front organisations as an unlawful association.

While declaring the ban on the organisation, the home ministry had stated that the HNLC had a declared objective of the secession of areas in Meghalaya, largely inhabited by Khasi and Jaintia tribes, and had continued intimidation and bullying of the civilian population to extort funds for their organisation.

The group is also maintaining links with other insurgent groups of the northeastern region for carrying out extortion and intimidation and indulged in 48 criminal cases, including several incidents of explosions or planting of explosives in Meghalaya, during the period from November 2019 to June 2024, it said.

During this period, 73 cadres of the outfit were also arrested by security forces.

"The HNLC along with all its factions, wings and front organisations of Meghalaya has been involved in such activities which are prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India," the notification said.

The home ministry said it is of the opinion that these activities of the HNLC are detrimental to the sovereignty and integrity of India.

And if these are not immediately curbed and controlled, the HNLC may regroup and rearm itself, expand its cadres, procure sophisticated weapons, cause loss of lives of civilians and security forces and properties and thereby accelerate its anti-national activities, the ministry said.

The tribunal assesses whether the ban is warranted on the provided grounds, and the affected outfit can present its case before it.