NEW DELHI, Dec 8 - Following the allegation of the sudden influx of electors in Assam, the Centre has urged the Election Commission of India to examine the voters list in the State.
In a Lok Sabha reply to a question, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju said that the Commission appointed by the Supreme Court has recommended examining the electoral rolls in Assam.
The Election Commission has been requested to take necessary action, Rijiju added. Other recommendations made by the Supreme Court are being deliberated by the Committee constituted by the Supreme Court of India. According to the Census Report of 2011, the increase in the decadal growth in Assam is 17.1 percent in comparison to the national decadal growth of 17.7 per cent.
The Government of Assam has constituted 500 State Police units for the detection of illegal migrants in 27 districts of Assam and referring such matters to the Foreigners Tribunals for opinion. As on date, 100 Foreigners Tribunals are functional for the disposal of pending cases. The names of declared illegal migrants are being deleted from the electoral rolls in Assam.
Immigrants from Bangladesh can obtain Indian citizenship under the provisions of the Citizenship Act, 1955. Persons residing in Indian enclaves on the Bangladesh side of the border are already Indian citizens.
However, 14,864 persons residing in erstwhile Bangladeshi enclaves on the Indian side of the border have been granted Indian citizenship with effect from August 1, the date of transfer of enclaves, Rijiju said.
The minister also confirmed the notification of September 7, exempting persons belonging to minority communities in Bangladesh and Pakistan who entered India on or before December 31, 2014, from the application of provisions of the Foreigners Act, 1946.
Replying to a separate question regarding erosion in Dhubri district along the India-Bangladesh border posing a security threat, the minister said that erosion of River Brahmaputra has been occurring in the Mankachar Klair-Alga and Masalbari area near the international border.
The Ministry of Water Resources has already cleared a scheme of Rs 23.79 crore for the protection of the areas and the work has been undertaken by the Brahmaputra Board. Further, to guard the river in the stretch of the international border with Bangladesh, the BSF has established 16 border outposts and one check post, which are located on the char land in River Brahmaputra, supported with water craft and big launchers, Rijiju claimed.
