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Centre may extend ULFA ban

By Spl Correspondent

NEW DELHI, Jan 31 � Even as the decks are being cleared to hold peace dialogue with ULFA, the Centre is all set to extend the ban on the militant outfit for another two years under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

An Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal today issued notices to Chief Secretaries of Meghalaya and Nagaland

Government to make submissions. The case is now scheduled to come up for hearing on February 14. The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal sought the opinion of Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, besides Assam on the Centre�s proposal.

The case had last come up for hearing on December 24, when all the parties were asked to submit their opinion within a month. ULFA, too, has been given one month time to submit their opinion before the Tribunal. The militant outfit has so far not given their opinion though it has time till February 13 to do so.

The case came up for hearing today in Mukta Gupta Tribunal, when Assam Government sought some time to submit a few documents in support of its bid to extend the ban. The Counsel for Arunachal Pradesh was also present, while the Union Government represented by its Counsel, additional Solicitor General AS Chandok.

All the four States are expected to seek further extension of the ban on ULFA. The dreaded outfit was first banned in 1979. The ban was last extended in April 2009, when all the States sought further ban on the outfit. The same year neighbouring States were for the first time asked to give their opinion.

The Union Government supports classifying ULFA as a �terrorist group� due to its �terrorist skills�, which is posing a challenge to the security of Assam and other neighbouring States, the Tribunal was told.

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) had last year decided to extend the ban on ULFA taking note of the activities of the outfit and refusal of its military chief Paresh Barua to come on board and sit for talks.

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