India, Feb. 15 -- The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed eight petitions that challenged various aspects of India's anti-terror law, the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, to be withdrawn to enable the petitioners to approach the respective high courts.

"The counsel for petitioners seek permission to withdraw the petitions and approach the concerned high courts within two weeks. Permission to withdraw is granted. Needless to say, the petitioner will be at liberty to file proceedings as permissible under law before the high court," a bench of justices Bela M Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal said on Thursday.

On Wednesday, student activist Umar Khalid, who has been in jail since his arrest by the Delhi Police on September 13, 2020, withdrew his ...