Today, On 17th October, The Supreme Court is set to deliver its judgment on petitions challenging the constitutional validity of Section 6A of the Citizenship Act. This provision was introduced following the 1985 Assam Accord and grants special citizenship rights to certain groups who entered Assam between 1966 and 1971.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court is set to deliver its verdict on Thursday regarding petitions challenging the constitutional validity of Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, which deals with granting Indian citizenship to illegal immigrants in Assam.
A five-judge constitution bench, led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, is expected to pronounce the judgment.
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On December 12 last year, the apex court had reserved its decision after four days of hearings from Attorney General R Venkataramani, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, and senior advocates Shyam Divan, Kapil Sibal, among others.
The bench, which also includes Justices Surya Kant, M M Sundresh, J B Pardiwala, and Manoj Misra, reserved its order on 17 petitions that question the constitutional validity of Section 6A. This section was introduced as a special provision to address the citizenship status of individuals covered by the Assam Accord.
Section 6A specifies that those who arrived in Assam between January 1, 1966, and March 25, 1971, from certain regions, including Bangladesh, under the amended Citizenship Act of 1985, and have since been residents of Assam, must register under Section 18 to acquire Indian citizenship.
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Consequently, it establishes March 25, 1971, as the cut-off date for granting citizenship to migrants, particularly from Bangladesh, living in Assam.
Ultimately, the Supreme Court’s decision will set a key precedent for balancing national and regional interests within the constitutional framework. Whether it upholds or strikes down Section 6A, the ruling will reshape conversations around citizenship in Assam and potentially across India.
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