Supreme Court junks plea against extension of ban on SIMI

The Supreme Court dismissed a plea challenging the five-year extension of the ban on SIMI. The UAPA tribunal upheld the Centre’s decision, stating SIMI still pursued extremist goals. The organisation has been banned in India since 2001

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a plea challenging an order confirming the five-year extension of the ban imposed on the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta refused to hear the plea against the July 24, 2024 order of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) tribunal. The tribunal was constituted under the UAPA after the Centre on January 29, 2024 decided to extend the ban on SIMI for five years.

---

It was set up for adjudicating whether or not there was sufficient cause for declaring SIMI an outlawed organisation. SIMI was first declared outlawed in 2001 during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government and since then, the ban has been extended periodically.

SIMI was established on April 25, 1977, in Aligarh Muslim University as a front organisation of youth and students, having faith in Jamait-e-Islami-Hind (JEIH). However, the organisation declared itself independent in 1993 through a resolution.

On Monday, the counsel appearing for the petitioner said the tribunal confirmed the Centre’s order of January 29, 2024 extending the ban on SIMI for the ninth time.

He said since September 2001, the ban was continuing and there were other pending matters in the top court challenging the ban on SIMI. The counsel requested the bench to issue notice on the plea and tag it with the pending matters.

When he said the petitioner was a former member of SIMI, the bench said, “Then why are you here? Let the organisation come.” After the counsel said the organisation did not exist, the bench asked, “How does it affect you then?” The counsel said there were legal issues that remained in the matter. He said the government did not recognise the fact that SIMI was defunct now.

The bench, however, refused to entertain the plea. The tribunal confirmed the five-year extension of the ban imposed on SIMI, saying the outfit had not abandoned its objective of “Jehaad” for the cause of Islam and continued to work for establishment of Islamic rule in India. While extending the ban on SIMI, the government said the group was involved in fomenting terrorism and disturbing peace and communal harmony in the country.