Supreme Court Upholds Extension of Ban on SIMI

The Supreme Court rejected a plea against the judicial tribunal's decision to extend the ban on the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) for another five years. Originally banned in 2001, SIMI's prohibition has been re-validated periodically. The tribunal's decision was based on the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a legal challenge to a judicial tribunal's decision confirming the five-year extension of the ban on the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI). The verdict was delivered by a bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, who dismissed the plea against the tribunal's July 24, 2024, order.

SIMI, initially banned in 2001, has faced multiple extensions of its prohibition. The tribunal responsible for the latest decision was formed under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, following the central government's January 29, 2024, decree to prolong the ban.

Founded on April 25, 1977, at Aligarh Muslim University as a youth-focused wing of Jamait-e-Islami-Hind (JEIH), SIMI declared its independence in 1993. The organization's activities have been viewed as a threat to national security, prompting continued extensions of the ban.

(With inputs from agencies.)