SC issues notices to Centre on a petition filed by SIMI

New Delhi, May 16 (UNI) The Supreme Court today issued notices to the Central government on a petition filed by Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) seeking transfer of all the petitions pending in various High Courts challenging the ban imposed on SIMI by the government on the grounds that the organisation has been indulging in anti-national activities.

A bench comprising Justices B P Singh and H S Bedi issued notices after hearing the counsel for the petitioner who sought the transfer of the cases filed by SIMI in various High Courts on the grounds that several petitions challenging the ban are already pending in the court and hence it will be in the interest of justice that other petitions pending in High Courts are also heard by this court as the same questions of law are involved in all the petitions.

SIMI has challenged the ban imposed on it by the central government on the grounds that the petitioner organisation was not indulging in any anti-national activities and that there is no justification for imposing such a ban.

The petitioner has also contended that the banned organisation has not been found indulging in any terrorist activities and has no link whatsoever with any terrorist organisation and it is purely a student movement.

The government has, however, banned the organisation on the grounds that it was a secessionist organisation and its activities posed a serious threat to the integrity and security of the nation.

The activities of SIMI according to the government also posed a threat to communal peace and harmony in the country.

The government order has already been upheld by the tribunal and SIMI had earlier come to the Supreme Court against the orders of the tribunal.

UNI