Guwahati: The Assam government has decided to appeal against the Guwahati High Court's order directing the Election Commission (EC) to ensure that "D" (doubtful citizen) citizens are not allowed to vote in the ensuing assembly election.
"We have decided to appeal against the order through a division bench of the court", Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi told reporters on Saturday.
A vast majority of the "D" voters are genuine Indian citizens and depriving them the right to vote will be undemocratic, he said.
Acting on a PIL, Justice B K Sharma, on March 24, had directed the EC to ensure that the "D" category citizen whose names were pending in the foreigner's tribunal are not allowed to vote.
The court had directed the EC to ask the district superintendent of police to collect such names and submit those to the respective electoral officers.
Clarifying the Congress stand on infiltration, the chief minister said on "humanitarian grounds' those irrespective of their religion had to flee Bangladesh due to religious persecution are welcome.
"We are not identifying anyone on the basis of religion. Anyone facing religious persecution can stay," he said.
Comments
0 comment