3. Declaration of an association as unlawful.—(1) If the Central Government is of opinion that any
association is, or has become, an unlawful association, it may, by notification in the Official Gazette,
declare such association to be unlawful.
(2) Every such notification shall specify the grounds on which it is issued and such other particulars
as the Central Government may consider necessary:
Provided that nothing in this sub-section shall require the Central Government to disclose any fact
which it considers to be against the public interest to disclose.
(3) No such notification shall have effect until the Tribunal has, by an order made under section 4,
confirmed the declaration made therein and the order is published in the Official Gazette:
1. Subs. by Act 28 of 2019, s. 2 for “Schedule” (w.e.f. 14-8-2019).
7
Provided that if the Central Government is of opinion that circumstances exist which render it
necessary for that Government to declare an association to be unlawful with immediate effect, it may, for
reasons to be stated in writing, direct that the notification shall, subject to any order that may be made
under section 4, have effect from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.
(4) Every such notification shall, in addition to its publication in the Official Gazette, be published in
not less than one daily newspaper having circulation in the State in which the principal office, if any, of
the association affected is situated, and shall also be served on such association in such manner as the
Central Government may think fit and all or any of the following modes may be followed in effecting
such service, namely:—
(a) by affixing a copy of the notification to some conspicuous part of the office, if any, of the
association; or
(b) by serving a copy of the notification, where possible, on the principal office-bearers, if any,
of the association; or
(c) by proclaiming by beat of drum or by means of loudspeakers, the contents of the notification
in the area in which the activities of the association are ordinarily carried on; or
(d) in such other manner as may be prescribed.
4. Reference to Tribunal.—(1) Where any association has been declared unlawful by a notification
issued under sub-section (1) of section 3, the Central Government shall, within thirty days from the date
of the publication of the notification under the said sub-section, refer the notification to the Tribunal for
the purpose of adjudicating whether or not there is sufficient cause for declaring the association unlawful.
(2) On receipt of a reference under sub-section (1), the Tribunal shall call upon the association
affected by notice in writing to show cause, within thirty days from the date of the service of such notice,
why the association should not be declared unlawful.
(3) After considering the cause, if any, shown by the association or the office-bearers or members
thereof, the Tribunal shall hold an inquiry in the manner specified in section 9 and after calling for such
further information as it may consider necessary from the Central Government or from any office-bearer
or member of the association, it shall decide whether or not there is sufficient cause for declaring the
association to be unlawful and make, as expeditiously as possible and in any case within a period of six
months from the date of the issue of the notification under sub-section (1) of section 3, such order as it
may deem fit either confirming the declaration made in the notification or cancelling the same.
(4) The order of the Tribunal made under sub-section (3) shall be published in the Official Gazette.
5. Tribunal.—(1) The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, constitute, as
and when necessary, a tribunal to be known as the “Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal” consisting
of one person, to be appointed by the Central Government:
Provided that no person shall be so appointed unless he is a Judge of a High Court.
(2) If, for any reason, a vacancy (other than a temporary absence) occurs in the office of the presiding
officer of the Tribunal, then, the Central Government shall appoint another person in accordance with the
provisions of this section to fill the vacancy and the proceedings may be continued before the Tribunal
from the stage at which the vacancy is filled.
(3) The Central Government shall make available to the Tribunal such staff as may be necessary for
the discharge of its functions under this Act.
(4) All expenses incurred in connection with the Tribunal shall be defrayed out of the Consolidated
Fund of India.
(5) Subject to the provisions of section 9, the Tribunal shall have power to regulate its own procedure
in all matters arising out of the discharge of its functions including the place or places at which it will
hold its sittings.
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(6) The Tribunal shall, for the purpose of making an inquiry under this Act, have the same powers as
are vested in a civil court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908), while trying a suit, in
respect of the following matters, namely:—
(a) the summoning and enforcing the attendance of any witness and examining him on oath;
(b) the discovery and production of any document or other material object producible as
evidence;
(c) the reception of evidence on affidavits;
(d) the requisitioning of any public record from any court or office;
(e) the issuing of any commission for the examination of witnesses.
(7) Any proceeding before the Tribunal shall be deemed to be a judicial proceeding within the
meaning of sections 193 and 228 of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860) and the Tribunal shall be deemed
to be a civil court for the purposes of section 195 and 1
[Chapter XXVI] of the 2
[Code].
6. Period of operation and cancellation of notification.—(1) Subject to the provisions of subsection (2), a notification issued under section 3 shall, if the declaration made therein is confirmed by the
Tribunal by an order made under section 4, remain in force for a period of 3
[five years] from the date on
which the notification becomes effective.
(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), the Central Government may, either on its
own motion or on the application of any person aggrieved, at any time, cancel the notification issued
under section 3, whether or not the declaration made therein has been confirmed by the Tribunal.
7. Power to prohibit the use of funds of an unlawful association.—(1) Where an association has
been declared unlawful by a notification issued under section 3 which has become effective under subsection (3) of that section and the Central Government is satisfied, after such inquiry as it may think it,
that any person has custody of any moneys, securities or credits which are being used or are intended to
be used for the purpose of the unlawful association, the Central Government may, by order in writing,
prohibit such person from paying, delivering, transferring or otherwise dealing in any manner whatsoever
with such moneys, securities or credits or with any other moneys, securities or credits which may come
into his custody after the making of the order, save in accordance with the written orders of the Central
Government and a copy of such order shall be served upon the person so prohibited in the manner
specified in sub-section (3).
(2) The Central Government may endorse a copy of the prohibitory order made under sub-section (1)
for investigation to any gazette officer of the Government it may select, and such copy shall be a warrant
where under such officer may enter in or upon any premises of the person to whom the order is directed,
examine the books of such person, search for moneys, securities or credits, and make inquiries from such
person or any officer, agent or servant of such person, touching the origin of any dealings in any moneys,
securities or credits which the investigating officer may suspect are being used or are intended to be used
for the purpose of the unlawful association.
(3) A copy of an order made under this section shall be served in the manner provided in the 2
[Code],
for the service of a summons, or where the person to be served is a corporation, company, bank or other
association, it shall be served on any secretary, director or other officer or person concerned with the
management thereof, or by leaving it or sending it by post addressed to the corporation, company, bank or
other association at its registered office, or where there is no registered office, at the place where it carries
on business.
(4) Any person aggrieved by a prohibitory order made under sub-section (1) may, within fifteen days
from the date of the service of such order, make an application to the Court of the District Judge within
the local limits of whose jurisdiction such person voluntarily resides or carries on business or personally
1. Subs. by Act 29 of 2004, s. 5, for “Chapter XXXV” (w.e.f. 21-9-2004).
2. Subs. by s. 3, ibid., for “Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (5 of 1898)” (w.e.f. 21-9-2004).
3. Subs. by Act 3 of 2013, s. 3, for “two years” (w.e.f. 1-2-2013).
9
works for gain, to establish that the moneys, securities or credits in respect of which the prohibitory order
has been made are not being used or are not intended to be used for the purpose of the unlawful
association and the Court of the District Judge shall decide the question.
(5) Except so far as is necessary for the purposes of any proceedings under this section, no
information obtained in the course of any investigation made under sub-section (2) shall be divulged by
any gazette officer of the Government, without the consent of the Central Government.
(6) In this section, “security” includes a document whereby any person acknowledges that he is under
a legal liability to pay money, or where under any person obtains a legal right to the payment of money.
8. Power to notify places used for the purpose of an unlawful association.—(1) Where an
association has been declared unlawful by a notification issued under section 3 which has become
effective under sub-section (3) of that section, the Central Government may, by notification in the Official
Gazette, notify any place which in its opinion is used for the purpose of such unlawful association.
Explanation.—For the purposes of this sub-section, “place” includes a house or building, or part
thereof, or a tent or vessel.
(2) On the issue of a notification under sub-section (1), the District Magistrate within the local limits
of whose jurisdiction such notified place is situate or any officer authorised by him in writing in this
behalf shall make a list of all movable properties (other than wearing-apparel, cooking vessels, beds and
beddings, tools of artisans, implements of husbandry, cattle, grain and food-stuffs and such other articles
as he considers to be of a trivial nature) found in the notified place in the presence of two respectable
witnesses.
(3) If, in the opinion of the District Magistrate, any articles specified in the list are or may be used for
the purpose of the unlawful association, he may make an order prohibiting any person from using the
articles save in accordance with the written orders of the District Magistrate.
(4) The District Magistrate may thereupon make an order that no person who at the date of the
notification was not a resident in the notified place shall, without the permission of the District
Magistrate, enter, or be on or in, the notified place:
Provided that nothing in this sub-section shall apply to any near relative of any person who was a
resident in the notified place at the date of the notification.
(5) Where in pursuance of sub-section (4), any person is granted permission to enter, or to be on or in,
the notified place, that person shall, while acting under such permission, comply with such orders for
regulating his conduct as may be given by the District Magistrate.
(6) Any police officer, not below the rank of a sub-inspector, or any other person authorised in this
behalf by the Central Government may search any person entering, or seeking to enter, or being on or in,
the notified place and may detain any such person for the purpose of searching him:
Provided that no female shall be searched in pursuance of this sub-section except by a female.
(7) If any person is in the notified place in contravention of an order made under sub-section (4), then,
without prejudice to any other proceedings which may be taken against him, he may be removed
therefrom by any officer or by any other person authorised in this behalf by the Central Government.
(8) Any person aggrieved by a notification issued in respect of a place under sub-section (1) or by an
order made under sub-section (3) or sub-section (4) may, within thirty days from the date of the
notification or order, as the case may be, make an application to the Court of the District Judge within the
local limits of whose jurisdiction such notified place is situate—
(a) for declaration that the place has not been used for the purpose of the unlawful association; or
(b) for setting aside the order made under sub-section (3) or sub-section (4),
and on receipt of the application the Court of the District Judge shall, after giving the parties an
opportunity of being heard, decide the question.
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9. Procedure to be followed in the disposal of applications under this Act.—Subject to any rules
that may be made under this Act, the procedure to be followed by the Tribunal in holding any inquiry
under sub-section (3) of section 4 or by a Court of the District Judge in disposing of any application under
sub-section (4) of section 7 or sub-section (8) of section 8 shall, so far as may be, be the procedure laid
down in the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908), for the investigation of claims and the decision of
the Tribunal or the Court of the District Judge, as the case may be, shall be final.