[Reader-list] News Items posted on the net on Multipurpose National Identity Cards-32

[Taha Mehmood]

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050318/asp/nation/story_4507832.asp

The Telegraph  	
 Friday, March 18, 2005 |

Nation at a Glance

Apex court notice on migrant law

New Delhi: Deportation of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants took an
all-India hue with the Supreme Court directing the Centre to file its
reply on issuing multi-purpose national identity cards to all citizens
and extending the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunal) Act,
especially to Delhi and Bengal, reports our legal correspondent.

The state of Bengal and a petitioner from Delhi had filed pleas
seeking a directive to the Centre to extend the Illegal Migrants Act
to their states.

The court also asked the Centre to file an action taken report on the
1998 submission of the Assam governor that continued influx of illegal
Bangladeshi immigrants had altered the demography of the region.

A three-judge bench of Chief Justice R.C. Lahoti and Justices G.P.
Mathur and P.K. Balasubramanyan sought an action taken report on
creating and updating the National Citizenship Register, pending since
1951. The creation of the register was a major aspect of the Assam
accord.

The All India Lawyers Forum for Civil Liberties, Asom Gana Parishad MP
Sarabananda Sonowal and Ramesh Borpatra Gohain from Assam had filed
petitions seeking a directive to deport the Bangladeshis. The state of
Bengal, the Jamait Ulama-e-Hind of Assam, and Abu Hanif of Delhi filed
petitions opposing the plea and seeking a directive to continue with
the Illegal Migrants Act and extend it to other states.