Bad in law: SC on its 2011 verdicts on membership of banned outfits

The bench said the subsequent decisions passed by high courts pursuant to its two-judge verdicts in 2011 on membership of banned outfits are bad in law and overruled

The Supreme Court on Friday held as bad in law its 2011 verdicts that ruled that mere membership of a banned organisation will not make a person criminal unless he resorts to violence or incites people to violence.

A bench of Justices MR Shah, CT Ravikumar and Sanjay Karol, while deciding a reference made by a two-judge bench, held that mere membership of banned organisation will make a person criminal and liable to be prosecuted under provisions of UAPA.

The bench said the subsequent decisions passed by high courts pursuant to its two-judge verdicts in 2011 on membership of banned