Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora of the Delhi High Court will head this Tribunal, which will adjudicate whether there is sufficient cause to continue declaring the LTTE as an unlawful association.
NEW DELHI: (On June 6, 2024): The Indian Government has constituted an Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) Tribunal to review the decision to extend the ban on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for another 5 years.
Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora of the Delhi High Court will head this Tribunal, which will adjudicate whether there is sufficient cause to continue declaring the LTTE as an unlawful association.
The ban on the LTTE was extended by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on May 14, 2024. The government cited that even after the LTTE’s military defeat in Sri Lanka in 2009, the group has not abandoned its goal of establishing an independent Tamil Eelam state.
“In accordance with the powers granted by subsection (1) of section 5 along with subsection (1) of section 4 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, the Central Government has established the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal. This Tribunal, led by Ms. Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora of the Delhi High Court, is tasked with determining whether there is adequate reason to continue recognizing the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as an unlawful association,” the notification stated.
“The notification stated that pro-LTTE factions persist in promoting separatism among the population, particularly in Tamil Nadu, thereby potentially destabilizing India’s territorial integrity. Furthermore, LTTE sympathizers residing overseas are actively disseminating anti-India propaganda among Tamils, attributing the defeat of the LTTE to the Government of India. This unchecked propaganda may foster resentment among the Tamil community towards the Central Government and the Indian Constitution.”
The Tribunal will now review the grounds provided by the Government for extending the ban on the LTTE and determine if there is sufficient justification to do so.
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The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has prolonged the ban on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for an additional five years, citing its perpetuation of separatist tendencies among the populace and its efforts to bolster support within India, especially in Tamil Nadu, which could jeopardize the country’s territorial integrity. The MHA reaffirmed LTTE as an unlawful association under the anti-terror legislation, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Highlighting that LTTE sympathizers abroad are propagating anti-India sentiments among Tamils, attributing the LTTE’s defeat to the Government of India, the MHA emphasized the potential for such sentiments to breed animosity among the Tamil population towards the central government and the Indian Constitution.
The LTTE’s ban, initially imposed on May 14, 2019, and upheld by a UAPA tribunal on November 21, 2019, remains in effect. Despite its military defeat in Sri Lanka in 2009, the LTTE persists in advocating for the ‘Eelam’ cause through clandestine fundraising and propaganda activities. There have been endeavors by LTTE remnants to regroup and revive the organization both domestically and internationally.
The MHA noted instances of pro-LTTE entities attempting to extend support to the banned group, highlighting the adversarial stance of LTTE leaders, operatives, and supporters towards India’s policies and actions against their activities. Cases under the UAPA have been registered against LTTE and its supporters since the ban in 2019, indicating their involvement in criminal activities such as drug and arms smuggling to advance LTTE’s objectives.
The Central government views LTTE as a continued threat to India’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and public order, given its staunch anti-India stance. Consequently, it deems it necessary to maintain the designation of LTTE as an unlawful association with immediate effect.
