Petition in Supreme Court to update NRC for Tripura, deport illegal immigrants

A petition has been filed in Supreme Court praying that National Register of Citizens (NRC) be updated with respect to the State of Tripura and illegal immigrants be deported from the State..The petition filed by the Tripura People’s Front and two other individuals claims to seek enforcement of the Rights under Articles 14, 15, 19, 21, and 29 guaranteed by the Constitution of India..In the petition drawn by advocate Manish Goswami, it has been 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 Bangladesh is worse in Tripura than in Assam..“The exercise in Assam was necessitated due to the persistent illegal influx problem that has plagued the state for over three decades now. The petitioners respectfully submit that Tripura is worse placed. The uncontrolled influx of illegal migrants from Bangladesh to Tripura has caused huge demographic changes in Tripura which earlier was a predominantly tribal state but now has become a non-tribal state.”.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 petition states that the same request was made before the Union of India and other authorities, who are the Respondents in this petition, but no action has been initiated by the authorities resulting in the violation of the fundamental rights of indigenous people of Tripura..The petitioners have prayed for the Court to direct the concerned authorities to update the NRC with respect to the State of 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. .With the aim of conservation and preservation of Tripura’s distinct culture, 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 for including Kokborok, lingua franca of indigenous communities of Tripura in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.”.Read Petition..Image Courtesy: Google