Gram panchayat certificate no proof of citizenship: SC(TH)

Gram panchayat certificate no proof of citizenship: SC(TH)

Context

A certificate of residency issued by a gram panchayat is not a document of citizenship and is “meaningless” unless supported by some other valid record to make a claim for inclusion in the National Register of Citizenship (NRC), the Supreme Court said

Citizenship in India

Citizenship in India is governed by following,

• Citizenship rules 2009
• Citizenship Act 1955
• Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2015

Read More: Visit this portal to learn more

What is NRC?

The National Register of Citizens (NRC) is the register containing details of all Indian citizens. After conducting the Census of 1951, the National Register of Citizens (NRC) was prepared by recording particulars of all the persons enumerated during the 1951 Census.

What is NRC 1951?

• After the conduct of the Census of 1951, a National Register of Citizens (NRC) was prepared in respect of each village showing the houses or holdings in a serial order and indicating against each house or holding the number and names of persons staying therein, and in respect of each individual, the father’s name/mother’s name or husband’s name, nationality, sex, age, marital status, educational qualification, means of livelihood or occupation and visible identification mark. This was done by copying out in registers the particulars recorded during the Census done in 1951. This NRC was prepared under a directive from the Ministry of Home affairs (MHA).
• These registers covered each and every person enumerated during the Census of 1951 and were kept in the offices of Deputy Commissioners and Sub Divisional Officers according to instructions issued by the Government of India in 1951. Later these registers were transferred to the Police in the early 1960s.

Batch of petitions

SC was hearing a batch of petitions challenging the Gauhati HC order holding that a certificate of residency issued by a gram panchayat (village council) secretary was not a legal and valid document for claim to citizenship

Identification of illegal immigrants

• About 48 lakh claims have been made using certificates issued by gram panchayat secretaries, out of a total of 3.29 crore claims made so far for inclusion in the NRC which is being prepared in Assam to identify illegal migrants.

Judges’ view

Document from Gram Panchayat is given without any proper verification hence it cannot be taken as a proof of citizenship

Government’s view

Govt said that without verification, this document cannot be accepted as it only specifies the name of the father, place of residence and nothing else

Read More: You can read more about the NRC issue in detail over here