In a historic judgement, the Meghalaya high court said Bangladesh nationals who have settled in this northeastern state before March 24, 1971 should be treated as Indians and be enrolled on the voters’ list, Press Trust of India reported.
The judgement was based on a petition by more than 40 refugees originally from Bangladesh, who were denied enrolment in the electoral roll by the district administration citing their citizenship as doubtful.
The refugees, from Amjong village near the Assam-Meghalaya border in Meghalaya’s Ri-Bhoi district, went to the Indian court after their citizenship certificates were seized by the deputy commissioner.
Justice SR Sen, in his May 15 order, directed the district deputy commissioner Pooja Pandey to return the seized certificates to the petitioners and enrol them on the voters’ list before the next elections.
Justice Sen said there was an understanding between the two countries as to who should be allowed to stay and who should be deported back to Bangladesh.
“It is clearly understood that the forefathers of the petitioners entered India much before March 24, 1971. As such, there is no question of deporting them at this stage when they have acquired the right of permanent rehabilitation in Amjong village,” he said.
Ruling out the contention that they were Bangladeshi citizens, the court said there was no scope for their deportation and directed the state government and the Centre not to disturb them, but to provide them with proper rehabilitation.
The state government had earlier argued that the petitioners and their forefathers were not permanent citizens and were rehabilitated temporarily by the autonomous district council.
