The Centre has appointed Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma of the Delhi High Court as the presiding officer of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal in the matter of recently-banned Popular Front of India (PFI) and its affiliates.
Once an organisation is banned under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, a tribunal is set up by the Government to adjudicate whether or not there is sufficient cause or ground for declaring it an unlawful association.
According to an office memorandum issued by the Department of Justice, Justice Sharma’s time as head of the the tribunal will count as “actual service”.
He will not be entitled to any extra remuneration for his services as the head of the tribunal except for travelling allowance and daily allowance as admissible under the High Court Judges (Travelling Allowance) Rules 1956.
Justice Sharma was nominated by Delhi High Court Chief Justice S C Sharma following a request from the Union Home Ministry.
According to the procedures, the Union Home Ministry requests the Law Ministry to name a sitting judge of the High Court as Presiding Officer of the UAPA tribunal. The Law Minister then requests the Chief Justice of the concerned high court to recommend a judge to head the tribunal.
The PFI’s affiliates include Rehab India Foundation (RIF), Campus Front of India (CFI) All India Imams Council (AIC), National Confederation of Human Rights Organization (NCHRO), National Women’s Front, Junior Front, Empower India Foundation and Rehab Foundation, Kerala.