Plea to CJI for halting NRC update process

GUWAHATI: Some organisations representing indigenous communities from Assam have petitioned the Chief Justice of India requesting his intervention for a temporary halt to the ongoing process of updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC). At least 10 organisations have come up with this plea for a halt until the petition filed by the Asom Sanmilita Mahasangha (ASM)-a confederation of indigenous people-challenging the constitutional validity of clause 6(A) of the Citizenship Act is resolved.
The letter was sent following a three-member bench of the Supreme Court led by CJI Deepak Mishra on Monday referred ASM's petition to a constitution bench to come up by March. The petition contended that Section 6 (A) of the Citizenship Act, included as an amendment following the Assam Accord of 1985, is unconstitutional. The amendment enabled granting of citizenship to all migrants from Bangladesh who came to Assam till the midnight of March 24, 1971, while the cut-off date for the rest of the country is July 19, 1948.

"If the NRC is updated on the basis of the cut-off date of 1971, we fear that around 50 lakh illegal infiltrators living in Assam may become citizens of the country. It may lead to conflict among the indigenous community and others residing in the state," said the the petition, which was signed by representatives of Bodoland Janajati Suraksha Manch, All Assam Taiphake National Council, Nokte Naga Council (Assam), Tai Khamyang National Council, Singpho National Council, Mon (Tai Speaking) Coordination Committee, Fraa Long Moung, Mohan-Deodhai Bailung and the All Assam Sut Sanmilan respectively.

"The matter is very sensitive and we urge the Chief Justice of India to ensure justice in protecting the indigenous people of the state by providing a constitutional safeguard," the representatives added in the petition.

Earlier, ASM's working president Matiur Rahman argued there is no rationale behind having separate cut-off dates for regularising illegal migrants who entered Assam as opposed to the rest of the country. "All we are seeking is uniformity. The Constitution should be the same for all parts of the country," he said.

On December 31, as per the SC direction, the first draft of the NRC was published with names of 1.9 crore people out of 3.29 crore total applicants in Assam recognizing them as legal citizens of India. The rest of the names are under verification.