SDPI welcomes the Supreme Court decision upholding the constitutional validity of the section 6A of the Citizenship Act 1955.The decision will end the long standing uncertainties and concerns of a hapless group of people being tagged infiltrators and foreigners. It will also put an end to the ambiguities in implementing NRC in Assam.In 2004, the Citizenship Act was amended with the addition of Section 6A, applicable exclusively to Assam. This section was based on the 1985 Assam Accord, signed after six years of protests demanding the removal of illegal immigrants. The Assam Accord created three categories of migrants: (1) those who entered Assam before January 1, 1966, who would be deemed Indian citizens; (2) those who arrived between January 1, 1966, and March 24, 1971 (the end of the Bangladesh Liberation War), who could claim citizenship but won’t be allowed to vote for 10 years; and (3) those arriving after March 25, 1971, who would be treated as illegal immigrants and deported.Section 6A provided the legal framework for this arrangement, recognising the 1971 cut-off date for citizenship in Assam.
Validation of the Constitutionality of Section 6A is Welcome
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