Assam: Declared foreigner by SC, person finds his name in complete NRC draft!

30 July 2018:

Compete draft of National Register of Citizens (NRC) published on Monday had several jaw-dropping aspects too. And none exemplified this better than a person, who was termed ‘D’ (doubtful) voter initially and declared foreigner subsequently by highest court of the land, but still managed to have had his name included in the all too important document of the land to prove his domicile status.

Sobur Ali Mondal, son of Javed Ali Mondal, was first included in ‘D’ voters’ list under Kokrajhar Lok Sabha constituency in 2014. Subsequently, he received a legal notice in 2016 and then declared a foreigner by the Foreigners’ Tribunal of Jorhat on 24th February 2017. He then challenged the verdict at Gauhati High Court, which, however, upheld the tribunal’s order.

Sobur was lodged at Jorhat detention camp for the past one year during which he filed a special leave petition before the Supreme Court, which too was dismissed on 15thDecember 2017, thus effectively making him a foreigner.

But despite all these legal setbacks, Sobur apparently has had the last laugh after having his name included in the complete NRC draft.