{"id":138409,"date":"2024-10-18T19:54:14","date_gmt":"2024-10-18T14:24:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/?post_type=current-affairs&#038;p=138409"},"modified":"2024-10-21T20:38:55","modified_gmt":"2024-10-21T15:08:55","slug":"sc-on-section-6a-of-citizenship-act","status":"publish","type":"current-affairs","link":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/sc-on-section-6a-of-citizenship-act","title":{"rendered":"Supreme Court Upholds Constitutional Validity of Section 6A of Citizenship Act"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>Supreme Court <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">has <\/span><b>upheld<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the<\/span><b> constitutional validity of Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, 1955 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">by a<\/span><b> 4:1 majority.<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Supreme Court also called for<\/span><b> stricter implementation of laws against illegal immigration<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>judicial monitoring of the implementation of immigration and citizenship legislations.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>About Section 6A of Citizenship Act<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Framework for Recognition:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> In <\/span><b>1985<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, in order to <\/span><b>give effect to the Assam Accord<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Section 6A was introduced in The Citizenship Act, 1955.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Section 6A <\/span><b>provides the framework <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">to <\/span><b>recognise migrants in Assam <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">as <\/span><b>Indian citizens<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or to <\/span><b>expel them based on the date of their migration.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Eligibility for Citizenship: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The provision fixes <\/span><b>March 25, 1971,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as the cut-off date <\/span><b>for granting citizenship to Bangladeshi migrants in Assam.<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All persons of<\/span><b> \u201cIndian origin\u201d <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">who <\/span><b>entered the state before January 1, 1966<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and have been<\/span><b> \u201cordinarily resident\u201d <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in Assam ever since<\/span><b> \u201cshall be deemed to be citizens of India\u201d<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Registration Requirements: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Additionally, it provides that anyone who entered and resided in Assam <\/span><b>after January 1, 1966 but before March 24, 1971<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> who has been<\/span><b> \u201cdetected to be a foreigner\u201d<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> would have the opportunity to<\/span><b> register themselves <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">according to rules made by the Central Government.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pw.live\/batches\/upsc?utm_source=seo+upsc+batch&#038;utm_medium=seo+upsc&#038;utm_campaign=seo&#038;utm_id=upsc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enroll now for UPSC Online Course<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Challenges to Section 6A of the Citizenship Act<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Petitioners&#8217; Concerns: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Petitioners, including the<\/span><b> Assam Public Works President<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>Assam Sanmilita Mahasangha<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>challenged Section 6A <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">as discriminatory, arguing that it:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>unfairly targets Assam <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>facilitates mass immigration<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">,\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.7992%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"width: 100%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: rgba(184, 165, 217, 0.53); text-align: left; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; color: #000000;\"><b>Background of Section 6A of Citizenship Act and Assam Accord<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Influx of Migrants:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The <\/span><b>1971 war<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> between <\/span><b>India and Pakistan<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> led to the<\/span><b> independence of Bangladesh<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, causing a<\/span><b> significant influx<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of Bengali-speaking refugees<\/span><b> into India <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">from East Pakistan.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>AASU Agitation: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Concerned about <\/span><b>demographic changes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> due to <\/span><b>Bangladeshi immigration<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the <\/span><b>All Assam Students Union (AASU)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> launched a <\/span><b>movement<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> demanding the deportation of illegal migrants.<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This agitation <\/span><b>lasted six years<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, marked by<\/span><b> significant unrest and violence.<\/b><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Assam Accord: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>protest concluded<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with the <\/span><b>signing of the Assam Accord<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in August <\/span><b>1985<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, facilitated by the Rajiv Gandhi-led Central government.<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A critical aspect of the Assam Accord was the <\/span><b>establishment of criteria for identifying &#8220;foreigners&#8221; in Assam.<\/b><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Clause 5 of the Accord set <\/span><b>January 1, 1966<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, as the <\/span><b>base cut-off date<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for <\/span><b>determining foreigners in electoral rolls.<\/b><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It also provided a<\/span><b> process for the grant of citizenship<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to those who <\/span><b>arrived <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in the state after that date, upto <\/span><b>March 24, 1971.<\/b><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Inclusion of Section 6A<\/b><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In December <\/span><b>1985,<\/b> <b>Section 6A <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">was <\/span><b>incorporated<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> into the <\/span><b>Citizenship Act <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">to <\/span><b>formalise<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the provisions of the <\/span><b>Assam Accord<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li><b>alters the state&#8217;s demographics<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by granting citizenship to <\/span><b>migrants claiming entry before the March 1971 cut-off date.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">making<\/span><b> indigenous Assamese people a minority in their own state<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and adversely <\/span><b>affecting their cultural rights under Article 29 of the Constitution.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Inconsistent Cut-off Dates:\u00a0<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Section 6 of the Constitution<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> grants <\/span><b>citizenship to any person who migrated from Pakistan before<\/b> <b>July 19, 1948<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Petitioners asserted that <\/span><b>Section 6A indirectly amends this constitutional provision<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, as they argued that <\/span><b>Bangladesh was still part of Pakistan<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as of <\/span><b>January 1, 1966<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The<\/span><b> insertion of a new cutoff date<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for granting citizenship <\/span><b>would violate<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> an existing cutoff date for immigrants entering India from Pakistan.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Centre&#8217;s Defense<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Parliament Has the Power to Regulate Citizenship:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Article 11 of the Indian Constitution:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The Centre referenced <\/span><b>Article 11<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of the Constitution, which empowers Parliament to regulate matters related to citizenship, <\/span><b>as a basis for Section 6A.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Entry 17 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">of the <\/span><b>Union List<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, gives Parliament the power to make laws to address \u201cCitizenship, naturalisation and aliens\u201d.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Potential Consequences of Striking Down Section 6A: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other respondents , including NGO <\/span><b>\u2018Citizens for Justice and Peace\u2019 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">warned that striking down Section 6A could<\/span><b> render many current residents \u201cstateless\u201d<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and be considered foreigners after enjoying citizenship rights for over 50 years.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-textbooks?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Textbooks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check Out UPSC NCERT Textbooks From PW Store<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.7993%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"width: 100%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: rgba(184, 165, 217, 0.53); text-align: left; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; color: #000000;\"><b>National Register of Citizens (NRC)<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Definition<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: The NRC is a <\/span><b>record of genuine Indian citizens<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, aimed at <\/span><b>identifying and deporting illegal immigrants<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as mandated by the <\/span><b>Citizenship Act of 1955, Foreigners Act of 1946, and the Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920.<\/b><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>only nationwide NRC was created in 1951<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Assam is the only state<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> currently maintaining an NRC, mandated by the Supreme Court since 2014.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt; color: #000000;\"><b>National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Objective<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: To<\/span><b> identify genuine citizens residing in Assam as of March 24, 1971<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, addressing immigration concerns.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>NRC Process Initiation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Started in <\/span><b>2013<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> under a Supreme Court order, with completion set for August 31, 2019.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Eligibility<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Included names of individuals or their descendants from the NRC of 1951, electoral rolls up to March 24, 1971, and other admissible documents proving presence before that date.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Final Release<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: The updated NRC was<\/span><b> released on August 31, 2019,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> excluding over<\/span><b> 1.9 million applicants making them \u2018Stateless\u2019.<\/b><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Excluded individuals<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can <\/span><b>appeal<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to <\/span><b>Foreigners Tribunals within 120 days<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, using state-provided legal aid, and <\/span><b>must prove their ancestors&#8217; citizenship prior to March 24, 1971<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No immediate detention occurs until tribunal decisions are made, complicating deportation due to the<\/span><b> lack of a formal repatriation treaty with Bangladesh.<\/b><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Key Points from the Supreme Court Judgement<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Constitutional Validity of Section 6A: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Section 6A does <\/span><b>not violate Articles 6 and 7 of the Constitution<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which establish a cut-off date for granting citizenship to migrants from East and West Pakistan <\/span><b>as of January 26, 1950,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the date of the Constitution&#8217;s commencement.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Articles <\/span><b>6 and 7<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are <\/span><b>only<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> meant to <\/span><b>determine citizenship at the commencement of the Constitution <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">on January 26, 1950. <\/span><b>Section 6A,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on the other hand, <\/span><b>\u201cdeals with those who are not covered by the constitutional provisions\u201d.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Legislative objective of Section 6A: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was to<\/span><b> balance the humanitarian needs of migrants of Indian origin<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and the <\/span><b>impact of the migration on the economic and cultural needs <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">of Indian States.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Section 6A and Right to Equality: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The influx of migrants to Assam had a<\/span><b> unique impact<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on the <\/span><b>state&#8217;s cultural and political rights<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, making it <\/span><b>rational to treat Assam differently from other states.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.6975%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"width: 100%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: rgba(184, 165, 217, 0.53); text-align: left; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<h3><span style=\"color: #000000; font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Key Points from the Dissenting Judge on Section 6A<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Flawed Citizenship Process for Migrants (1966-71)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Justice Pardiwala highlighted the <\/span><b>lack of a mechanism<\/b> <b>allowing migrants from January 1, 1966, to March 25, 1971<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, to<\/span><b> voluntarily apply <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">for citizenship.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Instead, they must wait to be identified by the government<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as <\/span><b>\u201csuspicious immigrants\u201d<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to then prove their citizenship before a foreigners&#8217; tribunal.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Ineffectiveness Over Time<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Section 6A<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, while constitutional at first, has<\/span><b> become ineffective.<\/b><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Without a proper timeline for identifying foreigners<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, it <\/span><b>no longer serves<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> its original purpose of<\/span><b> quick and effective identification of migrants<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from the <\/span><b>1966-71 period.<\/b><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Absence of Timeframe for Removal<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lack of a timeframe would <\/span><b>\u201crelieve\u201d <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the government of its burden to identify <\/span><b>immigrants belonging to the \u201c1966-71 stream\u201d <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and delete them from the electoral rolls.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>These immigrants would be incentivised to remain on the electoral rolls for an \u201cindefinite period\u201d <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">until they are detected.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li><b>Section 6A<\/b> <b>does not violate<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the<\/span><b> principle of equality<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by granting citizenship only to migrants in Assam, excluding other border states.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>6A does not facilitate \u201cexternal aggression\u201d: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The court ruled that Section <\/span><b>6A,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> which grants citizenship to certain migrants from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), <\/span><b>does not amount to &#8220;external aggression&#8221; through illegal immigration.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Regulated Migration: 6A provides a way to manage and regulate who can become a citizen.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>No Violation of Article 355: Petitioners <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">argued <\/span><b>Section 6A violated Article 355 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(meant to protect states from external threats). The court disagreed, saying <\/span><b>letting people challenge laws using emergency powers would create chaos.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Reasonable Cut-off Date: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The cut-off date of <\/span><b>March 25, 1971<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, is justified because it<\/span><b> coincides <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">with <\/span><b>Operation Searchlight<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which was launched on March 26, 1971, to <\/span><b>suppress the Bangladeshi nationalist movement<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Migrants before this operation are considered part of the Indian partition.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Misinterpretation of Section 6A:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The claim that <\/span><b>Section 6A incentivizes migration to Assam is deemed erroneous,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as undocumented migrants could previously register as citizens under Section 5(1)(a) of the Citizenship Act before its amendment in 2003.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Compliance with Constitutional Principles:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Section 6A remains within the constitutional framework, does not contravene the foundational principles of fraternity, <\/span><b>nor does it infringe upon Articles 6, 7, 9, 14, 21, 29, 326, or 355 of the Constitution of India.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Compatibility with Other Laws: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The ruling confirmed that <\/span><b>Section 6A does not conflict with the Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act, 1950,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or established principles of international law.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Cultural heritage protection: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The<\/span><b> presence of diverse ethnic groups does not inherently infringe upon the rights to protect linguistic and cultural heritage<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> under <\/span><b>Article 29(1)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of the Constitution.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Acknowledgment of Illegal Immigration Concerns: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>porous borders<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>inadequate fencing,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> contributes to a continuous influx of migrants.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pw.live\/batches\/upsc\/pw-only-ias?utm_source=seo+upsc+batch&#038;utm_medium=seo+upsc&#038;utm_campaign=seo&#038;utm_id=upsc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enroll now for UPSC Online Classes<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Significance of the Judgement<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Upholding of Cut-Off Date: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With SC upholding the validity, the <\/span><b>cut-off date<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> will r<\/span><b>emain as the basis<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of granting citizenships to those coming <\/span><b>from Bangladesh and other nations to Assam.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Foundation of National Register of Citizens (NRC):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It has <\/span><b>upheld<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the <\/span><b>basis<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on which the<\/span><b> National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam was devised.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Way Forward To Tackle the Problem of Immigrants In Assam<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Enhance Enforcement Mechanisms<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Develop <\/span><b>robust mechanisms<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to ensure <\/span><b>effective enforcement<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of <\/span><b>Section 6A<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This includes increasing resources and personnel dedicated to monitoring and identifying illegal immigrants in Assam.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Training Programs<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Implement <\/span><b>training programs for authorities involved in immigration <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">enforcement to <\/span><b>better understand the legislative framework<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and the importance of adherence to due process.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Integration of Legislative Provisions <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><b> Integration of the Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act, 1950 into Section 6A<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to enhance the identification process of illegal immigrants.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act, 1950<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> allows the government to <\/span><b>expel <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">immigrants from Assam <\/span><b>who entered the state after March 25, 1971.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Streamline Procedures<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Establish clear and efficient procedures for the identification, documentation, and deportation of illegal immigrants, reducing bureaucratic delays.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Judicial Oversight<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Implement<\/span><b> constant judicial monitoring<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as directed by the court to ensure compliance with immigration laws and safeguard the rights of residents.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Regular Reporting<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Require<\/span><b> periodic reports from enforcement agencies on the status of illegal immigration<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and the effectiveness of measures taken under <\/span><b>Section 6A<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Strengthening Tribunals: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By <\/span><b>increasing the number of tribunals and personnel <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">dedicated to immigration cases, ongoing<\/span><b> training for tribunal members<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on immigration laws, etc.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 100.043%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 130.811%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;\" colspan=\"2\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Must Read<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 50.5357%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/editorial-analysis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UPSC Daily Editorials<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td 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majority.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"footnotes":""},"tags":[],"paper-wise":[2084],"subject":[2124],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/138409"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/current-affairs"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=138409"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/138409\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":138829,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/138409\/revisions\/138829"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=138409"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=138409"},{"taxonomy":"paper-wise","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/paper-wise?post=138409"},{"taxonomy":"subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/subject?post=138409"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}