The Assam Government has asked district authorities and members of the foreigners tribunals to drop cases against members of six communities – Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain and Parsi – who entered the state on or before December 31, 2014, citing the Citizenship Amendment Act.The state’s home and political department held a meeting on July 17 and had discussed “issues related to Foreigners Tribunal with reference to Citizenship Amendment Act” and the “dropping off cases”. The meeting was held following a directive from Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.The Citizenship Amendment Act is aimed to provide a fast track to citizenship to refugees from six minority religious communities, except Muslims, from Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan, on the condition that they have lived in India for six years and have entered the country by December 31, 2014.It was passed by Parliament in December 2019. The Union government notified the rules under the Act in March 2024.The foreigners tribunals in Assam are quasi-judicial bodies that adjudicate on matters of citizenship based on lineage and a 1971 cut-off date. They rely primarily on documents submitted by persons to establish their family’s residency in Assam or India before 1971.The tribunals have been accused of arbitrariness and bias, and declaring people foreigners on the basis of minor...Read more
Assam to drop foreigners tribunal cases against non-Muslims who entered state before 2015, cites CAA
