In a historic judgment, the Meghalaya high court has said that Bangladesh nationals who have settled in the state before 24 March, 1971 should be treated as Indians and they be enrolled in the voters list. The judgment was based on a petition by over 40 refugees who were originally from Bangladesh, who were denied enrolment in the electoral roll by the district administration citing their citizenship as doubtful, a report said on 21 May. These refugees hailing from Amjong village near the Assam-Meghalaya border in Meghalaya’s Ri-Bhoi district moved the high court after their citizenship certificates were seized by the deputy commissioner.
Justice SR Sen, in his 15 May order, directed the district deputy commissioner Pooja Pandey to return the seized certificates to the petitioners and enrol them in the voters list before the next elections.