25-05-2025
UAPA tribunal extends ban on HNLC by 5 yrs
Shillong: The ban on Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) has been extended for another five years, as the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) tribunal upheld the decision of the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA), reports Manosh Das.
In its order issued on May 10, the tribunal concluded that there was sufficient evidence to affirm the ban on the outlawed militant organisation. "The HNLC continues to engage in armed insurgency and unlawful activities with the intent to undermine the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India," said Justice Soumitra Saikia, who presided over the UAPA tribunal. The HNLC has been classified as an 'unlawful association' under the UAPA since Nov 2000, and the ban has been continuously extended since then.
The MHA has said the outfit maintains active links with other insurgent groups in the northeast.
According to the MHA, the HNLC has continued its involvement in armed insurgency, extortion, and intimidation, and was implicated in 48 criminal cases between November 2019 and June 2024. These cases include multiple incidents of explosions or the planting of explosives in Meghalaya.
