Bombay High Court Upholds Constitutional Validity of UAPA

The Bombay High Court has ruled that the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) is constitutionally valid, dismissing a 2021 petition questioning its legality. Justices A S Gadkari and Neela Gokhale presided over the case, upholding the current form of UAPA against claims of overreach.

Anil Baburao Baile, the petitioner, was previously issued a notice by the National Investigation Agency concerning the Elgaar Parishad case. His plea argued that UAPA's provisions grant excessive power to the executive branch, enabling them to declare individuals or organizations as unlawful without clear legal definitions.

Baile also challenged the amendment aligning UAPA with a UN Security Council resolution, which allows the government to label Indian citizens or entities as terrorists. Despite these arguments, the court found no merit in declaring the Act or sections of the Indian Penal Code unconstitutional.

(With inputs from agencies.)