The pro-Khalistan outfit — Sikhs for Justice — has been issued a show cause notice by the Tribunal, constituted by the Central Government to look into the material facts whether or not the separatist organization be declared unlawful.

Notably, the Central Government had declared the fringe group SFJ — the pro-Khalistan outfit which has been pushing the Sikh Referendum-2020 — as an unlawful association and a notification was issued on July 10, 2019, in this regard.

“Now, a show cause notice has been issued to SFJ as to why the association declared unlawful, be not adjudicated to be so and why an order confirming the declaration be not made,” said the official spokesperson.

Spokesperson said that the association has been given 30 days to respond from the date of service of the notice. The objections or reply affidavits may be filed before the next date of hearing.

The Central Government has constituted the Tribunal, comprising of Delhi High Court Chief Justice DN Patel on August 7, 2019, for adjudicating as to whether there is sufficient cause for declaring SFJ as an unlawful association.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) constitutes a tribunal every time it bans an organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) to give the outfit a chance to present its case. But the exercise usually remains a no-show as the tribunal mostly endorses the government’s move. At the time of declaring SFJ an unlawful outfit, the MHA had said that the group’s primary objective was to establish an “independent and sovereign country in Punjab and it openly espouses the cause of Khalistan”.

“In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 5 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (37 of 1967), the Central Government hereby constitutes an Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal, consisting of Justice DN Patel, Delhi High Court Chief Justice, for adjudicating whether or not there is sufficient cause of declaring the SFJ as an unlawful association,” read the MHA notification.

Furthermore, the association has also been directed to make personal appearance before the tribunal on September 20, 2019.