SC issues notice to Centre on Tripura People’s Front’s plea seeking NRC in state

In a major development, the Supreme Court today issued notice to the Central government and the Election Commission of India in a petition by Tripura People’s Front seeking updation of National Register of Citizens in Tripura.

A Bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and KM Joseph heard Senior Counsel Kamal Nayan Choudhury and advocate Manish Goswami before issuing notice to the Central government and the Election Commission.

The matter was tagged with the similar case pertaining to Assam which the Court is already seized of.

In the petition, the Tripura People’s Front has claimed that while setting up of NRC goes as far back as 1951, the need for updating the NRC in Tripura is pressing.

The petition claims that the situation of influx of illegal immigrants from present day Bangladesh is worse in Tripura than in Assam.

The petitioners have submitted that it is very necessary to update NRC in Tripura in order to identify illegal immigrants, delete them from voters lists, and subsequently deport them from India to restore the socio-economic, socio-cultural and socio-political equilibrium of Tripura.

The petitioners have prayed for the Court to direct the concerned authorities to update the NRC in Tripura.

Additionally, the petitioners have also prayed for Foreigners Tribunals to be set up and for appropriate steps to be taken to deport illegal immigrants.

Further, the petitioners have sought fencing of Tripura-Bangladesh border with increased patrolling to prevent the inflow of illegal immigrants into Indian Territory.

The petitioners have also prayed for the authorities to take effective steps for restoring land illegally and forcibly alienated back to the indigenous people and to immediately take effective steps to preserve the language, culture and script of the Tripura people.