Guwahati, 8th December: The Union Government has been directed by the Supreme Court to provide data on the influx of illegal migrants to Assam and the North-Eastern states post-March 25, 1971. Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, leading the Supreme Court, initiated hearings on December 5, 2023, addressing petitions challenging Section 6A of the Citizenship Act of 1955.
During the proceedings, Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the respondents, argued that mapping the historical migration of populations is impractical. Sibal highlighted Assam’s complex history, stating that it was initially part of Myanmar, then conquered by the British, and later handed over. He emphasized the vast movements of people, especially during the British era and the partition when Assam merged with East Bengal.
Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, under scrutiny, is crucial as it implements the Assam Accord, permitting certain foreign migrants who entered Assam between January 1, 1966, and March 25, 1971, to apply for Indian citizenship. Indigenous groups in Assam contend that this provision legitimizes illegal migration, affecting the state’s demographic and cultural fabric.
The Supreme Court’s Constitution Bench, comprising Justices AS Bopanna, MM Sundresh, JB Pardiwala, and Manoj Misra, is tasked with determining the constitutional validity of Section 6A. Sibal further illustrated his point by sharing his family’s displacement during the partition, asserting the fundamental right to move within the country and dismissing claims that such movements disrupt Assam’s cultural ambience.
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