Supreme Court Seeks Data on Indian Citizenship for Bangladeshi Immigrants

The Supreme Court has directed the Centre to provide detailed data on granting Indian citizenship to Bangladeshi immigrants in Assam, seeking specifics on the steps taken against illegal immigration in India, especially in the North East. The court instructed the government to submit comprehensive statistics and information by a set deadline.

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In a significant move, the Supreme Court, led by justices Surya Kant, MM Sundresh, JB Pardiwala, and Manoj Misra, directed the Centre to furnish comprehensive data regarding the grant of Indian citizenship to Bangladeshi immigrants in Assam. The court emphasized the necessity for the government to provide specific information on the steps taken to address illegal immigration into India, especially in the North Eastern states.

Expressing the need for data-based disclosures, the bench instructed the Centre to submit an affidavit to the court by a set deadline. The affidavit should encompass detailed statistics concerning the individuals from Bangladesh who acquired Indian citizenship under section 6A of the Act. The court demanded an account of those who migrated to India from Bangladesh between January 1, 1966, and March 25, 1971, along with specifics on the number of individuals identified as foreigners by the Foreigners Tribunals Order 1964 during that period.

Additionally, the bench sought information regarding measures taken to address illegal immigration, particularly in the North East, and the extent of border fencing in those regions. Addressing the exclusion of West Bengal from section 6A of the Citizenship Act, despite sharing a significantly larger border with Bangladesh compared to Assam, the court queried the government's rationale behind this discrepancy.

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Section 6A of the Citizenship Act pertains to illegal immigrants in Assam and was introduced as a special provision in compliance with the Assam Accord. The section outlines the eligibility criteria for individuals arriving in Assam from specified territories, including Bangladesh, between January 1, 1966, and March 25, 1971. These individuals, in accordance with the amended Citizenship Act of 1985, are required to register themselves under section 18 to obtain Indian citizenship, with March 25, 1971, established as the cut-off date for granting citizenship to Bangladeshi migrants in Assam.

This ongoing hearing underscores the court's intent to procure detailed insights into the citizenship status of Bangladeshi immigrants in Assam, emphasizing the need for accurate and comprehensive data to inform their decision-making process.