Supreme Court Set to Decide on Controversial Citizenship Act Clause

On Thursday, the Supreme Court will announce its verdict on petitions challenging Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, 1955. This section is linked to the Assam Accord, which shaped the 2019 National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam. The Constitution Bench, led by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, reserved its judgment in December last year and will now deliver its decision.

During hearings, the court asked the government to explain measures taken to prevent illegal immigration into northeastern states, especially Assam. The bench also sought a joint affidavit from the Union and Assam governments, detailing the number of Bangladeshi immigrants granted citizenship between 1966 and 1971 under Section 6A(2). Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued that collecting precise data on illegal immigrants is difficult because of their covert entry into the country.

A key issue in the case is whether Section 6A violates the Constitution. This section grants citizenship to individuals of Indian origin who arrived in Assam before January 1, 1966, and have lived there since. The ruling will have a significant impact on Assam’s citizenship policies and the broader NRC debate.