Tribunals begin hearing on continuing ban on ULFA, NDFB

Two tribunals began a two day hearing here today on whether the ban on the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) should continue.
One of the tribunals comprising Justice J R Midha of the Delhi High Court was constituted for adjudicating whether there was sufficient cause for declaring the ULFA as an unlawful association.
Another tribunal headed by Justice Manmohan Singh of the Delhi High Court was to adjudicated on the activities of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland as an unlawful association.
The Assam government, while submitting documentary evidence on the activities of the outfits in Assam and neighbouring states including Meghalaya, wanted the ban to continue, a senior Assam government official, who deposed at the tribunals told PTI on the condition of anonymity.

He said that the two organisations were yet to abjure violence and it was up to the the tribunal to make necessary recommendations to the Union Home Ministry.
Over 40 senior Assam home department officials and senior police officials deposed before the tribunals.
"There was deposition before the tribunals and more witnesses on behalf of the government will appear tomorrow," senior counsel of the Assam government Avijit Roy, said.
The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 was first imposed in 1990 and the Union Ministry of Home Affairs re-imposed it on both the outfits on the ground that the outfits were yet to abjure violence in their home state.