SC issues notice to Centre on Umar Khalid's plea challenging validity of UAPA

New Delhi, Oct 31 (IANS): The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notice to the Centre on a plea filed by student activist Umar Khalid challenging the provisions of the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).

A bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Bela M Trivedi called for response of the Centre and others on the plea instituted by Khalid - who is behind the bars under the anti-terror law in connection with the Delhi riots' "larger conspiracy" case.

The bench said that it will hear the batch of petitions challenging the constitutionality of the UAPA along with the bail plea filed by Khalid on November 22.

Khalid has instituted a special leave petition before apex court against a decision of the Delhi High Court denying him bail last year.

In the previous hearing, the top court had tagged the writ petition filed under Article 32 of the Constitution by the former JNU scholar with other existing petitions challenging UAPA. Khalid has been behind bars for more than three years in connection with the Delhi riots larger conspiracy case. He is facing charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for his alleged involvement in the larger conspiracy for Delhi communal violence that broke out in February 2020.