A Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) tribunal will determine whether sufficient evidence exists to declare the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) an unlawful organization.

Headed by Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora of the Delhi High Court, the tribunal will review the Ministry of Home Affairs’ (MHA) decision to extend the ban on the LTTE for another five years.

On May 14, the Centre extended the ban imposed on the LTTE, a separatist organization, for five more years. The ban aims to prevent the LTTE from fostering separatist tendencies among the masses, enhancing its support base in the country, particularly in Tamil Nadu, and threatening India’s territorial integrity.

On June 5, a notification was issued declaring the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) an unlawful association.

According to the notification, even after its military defeat in May 2009 in Sri Lanka, LTTE has not abandoned the concept of ‘Eelam’ and has been clandestinely working towards the ‘Eelam’ cause by undertaking fundraising and propaganda activities. Furthermore, the remnant LTTE leaders or cadres have also initiated efforts to regroup the scattered activists and resurrect the outfit locally and internationally.

“The pro-LTTE groups/elements continue to foster a separatist tendency amongst the masses and enhance the support base for LTTE in India particularly in Tamil Nadu, which will ultimately have a strong disintegrating influence over the territorial integrity of India. The LTTE sympathizers living abroad continue to spread anti-India propaganda among Tamils holding the Government of India responsible for the defeat of the LTTE, which, if not checked, is likely to develop a sense of hate among the Tamil population towards the Central Government and the Indian Constitution,” the notification read.

(With ANI input)