Guwahati: Gauhati HC has directed a resident of Assam who defended his vote for more than 20 years since it was declared illegal immigrants to register for foreign regional regional registration offices within 60 days.
The status of the Jagat Ghosh anomaly as a voter under the scanner when the High Court heard the petition submitted by him, challenging the May 1999 decision on the trial of strangers against him.
According to the Tribunal command, Lanka residents in Nagaon Regency Assam, have entered a country from Bangladesh between January 1, 1966, and March 25, 1971, cut-off citizenship for immigrants and their descendants.
On May 3, 1999, the court issued an ex-parte order against Ghosh because it failed to appear directly or submit documents to prove that he entered Assam before January 1, 1966.
He was asked to register as a stranger with SP (border) from Nagaon.
Ghosh approached HC Court last year, claiming that he knew about the tribunal command in 2018, more than a decade after being released.
He said there were no questions to register as strangers with the appropriate authority because he did not know the verdict against him.
“From the documents that are annexed by the applicant, it seems that the applicant has spent his voice …
continuously from 1970 to the present, so that it almost enjoyed all rights and privileges to become a citizen of this country,” HC said.
In accordance with the citizenship law, 1955, the people who entered Assam between January 1, 1966, and March 25, 1971, and had been declared “foreigners” should register with the appointed authority within 60 days.
Their names, if included in the selection roll, need to be removed for 10 years, even though they will continue to enjoy other rights given to citizens.
After 10 years, they can be declared Indian citizens based on evidence, opening the way to put back in the voter list.