Why is it in the news?
- The Government has declared ‘Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, Jammu and Kashmir (TeH)’ as an ‘Unlawful Association’ for five years under Section 3(1) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) 1967.
More about the news
- Separatist political party in Jammu and Kashmir, founded by Syed Ali Shah Geelani.
- Accused by the government of being involved in anti-national, secessionist activities, supporting terrorism, and inciting people to establish Islamic rule in J&K.
About UAPA Act
- Enacted in 1967, empowers the government to probe and prosecute individuals and organizations for acts of terrorism.
- Provides the authority to designate an organization as an “unlawful association” or a “terrorist organization,” and an individual as a “terrorist.”
- Scope includes declaring an association or group “unlawful” if involved in activities supporting the cession or secession of a part of India’s territory, or questioning the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
- Under Section 3 of the UAPA Act, the government has the power to declare an association “unlawful.”
| Amendments to UAPA Act (August 2019)
· Introduced the provision to designate an individual as a terrorist. · Prior to this amendment, only organizations could be designated as terrorist organizations. |
