New Delhi
The Supreme Court has deferred the hearing of the Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed by the Popular Front of India (PFI) challenging the Ministry of Home Affairs’ (MHA) classification of the organization and its affiliates as unlawful associations under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. Scheduled before the bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Bela M Trivedi, the plea’s hearing has been postponed. PFI’s SLP is a response to the UAPA tribunal’s affirmation of the MHA’s prohibition in March under Section 3(1) of the UAPA. The MHA’s gazette notification in September 2020 declared the PFI, along with its associated organizations such as Rehab India Foundation (RIF), Campus Front of India (CFI), All India Imams Council (AIIC), National Confederation of Human Rights Organisation (NCHRO), National Women’s Front, Junior Front, Empower India Foundation, and Rehab Foundation, Kerala, as unlawful associations under the UAPA. The organization faces allegations of purported links with terrorist groups and involvement in terrorist activities, prompting the MHA’s nationwide operations for search, detainment, and arrest of PFI members. While the hearing is deferred, the case continues to highlight the contentious issue of the association’s legal status and its perceived connections to activities contrary to national security interests. As the legal proceedings unfold, the decision will have far-reaching implications for both the PFI and the regulatory authorities, potentially shaping the parameters of the UAPA in relation to similar organizations in the country.
