Centre sets up tribunal to examine ban on Nagaland insurgent group NSCN-K

The Central Government has constituted a special tribunal to decide whether the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang) should be declared an unlawful association under anti-terror laws.

In a notification dated October 17, 2025, the Ministry of Home Affairs announced the formation of "The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal" headed by Justice Nelson Sailo, a judge of the Gauhati High Court.

The tribunal will assess if there is "sufficient cause for declaring the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang) [NSCN (K)] with all its factions, wings and front organisations as Unlawful Association."

The move comes under powers granted by the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, which allows the government to ban organisations deemed threats to national security and public order.

NSCN-K has been a prominent militant outfit operating in Nagaland and neighboring regions. The faction, named after its late leader SS Khaplang, split from the parent organisation in 1988 and has been involved in various insurgent activities in Northeast India.

The tribunal's findings will determine whether the organisation will face a formal ban, which would make membership, support, or association with the group a criminal offense. Such declarations typically result in freezing of assets, restrictions on meetings, and prosecution of members.