Sonowal asks JPC chief to visit Assam soon

Citizenship (Amendment) Bill

A Correspondent

New Delhi, April 13: Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has requested Chairman of the Joint Committee on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 Rajendra Agrawal to visit Assam at the earliest and take stock of the prevailing situation over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.

Sonowal had a detailed discussion with Agrawal over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 on late Thursday evening in New Delhi. “The CM requested him to visit Assam at the earliest to take opinion of the people of the state,” official sources told The Sentinel.

Sonowal appraised Agrawal over the present situation that erupted over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.

Sonowal has reportedly discussed the issue with Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday.

Meanwhile, according to the reports, the proposed Constitutional bench will decide before May 18, the cut of year for the Bangladeshi.

The Constitutional bench will be setup by April. This was informed in the apex court on Thursday by Chief Justice Dipak Mishra, Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice AM Khandwilkar after hearing the petition filled by Assam Sanmilita Mahasanga involving section 6A of the Citizenship Act.

This section was introduced through an amendment made in 1985, in the Citizenship Act, 1955. According to section 6A all those who came to Assam on or after 1 January, 1966, but before 25th March, 1971 from the specified territory (it includes all territories of Bangladesh at the time of commencement of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 1985), and since then are residents of Assam.