New Delhi- The Centre on Monday constituted a tribunal consisting of a Delhi High Court judge to adjudicate if there is sufficient ground for declaring the Muslim League Jammu Kashmir, headed by pro-Pakistan separatist leader Masarat Alam Bhat, as a banned organisation.

The Jammu and Kashmir-based group was declared outlawed by the government on December 27 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 for five years.

In a notification, the Union Home Ministry said exercising the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 5 read with subsection (1) of section 4 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (37 of 1967), the central government constituted the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal consisting of Justice Sachin Datta, Judge, High Court of Delhi, for the purpose of adjudicating whether or not there is sufficient cause for declaring the Muslim League Jammu Kashmir (Masarat Alam faction) (MLJK-MA) as an unlawful association.

The organisation was declared banned in response to the outfit’s involvement in anti-national and secessionist activities in Jammu and Kashmir, with the intent to create a reign of terror in the country.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, while announcing the ban, had emphasised that the Modi government’s message is clear: those who act against the unity, sovereignty, and integrity of the nation will face the full wrath of the law and will not be spared.

This story was originally published in kashmirobserver.net. Read the full story here .