Indian govt asked to justify LTTE ban

NEW DELHI: A special tribunal has asked the central government to justify its renewal of the ban on Sri Lanka's Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

The tribunal, headed by Justice Vikramjit Sen, Monday asked the central government to produce fresh evidence against the LTTE by Friday so as to have the ban on the group extended by another two years.

The ban was first imposed in 1992 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act of 1967, a year after the LTTE was accused of assassinating former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. The ban has been extended after every two years.

LTTE counsel have argued that the group cannot be banned because it does not come within the territorial jurisdiction of the Indian government.

The LTTE has also stated that it does not seek to disrupt the sovereignty and integrity of India.