Supreme Court Upholds Citizenship for Pre-1971 Bangladeshi Immigrants in Assam

The Supreme Court’s Constitution Bench has upheld the validity of Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, allowing Bangladeshi immigrants who entered Assam before March 1971 to obtain citizenship. In a 4-1 majority ruling, Chief Justice DY Chandrachud emphasized that the presence of different ethnic groups does not violate Article 29(1) regarding cultural protection. Justice JB Pardiwala dissented. Petitioners had argued the law was discriminatory and harmed Assamese culture, but the court ruled otherwise, addressing concerns over immigration and citizenship in the state.