SHILLONG: The Garo Hills State Movement Committee (GHSMC) has demanded the cancellation of the voter cards of dual and doubtful voters in South Garo Hills.
In a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner, South Garo Hills, Baghmara, the committee said the impact and repercussions of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the neighboring state of Assam has brought in fear and apprehension in South Garo Hills
. The committee claimed that there is slow and steady infiltration and illegal stay of outsiders since the partition of India and Pakistan taking advantage of the weak law enforcement and porous international boundary.
Not drawing parallel to NRC, according to GHSMC’s internal study, there are many dual and doubtful voters in South Garo Hills mostly in Nongalbibra-Jadi and Siju-Baghmara area. While dual voters registering to neighboring states are rampant in the area, the nationality of some voters is not certain, the committee said.
‘This unhealthy trend is a serious threat to the nation’s unity, integrity and security. We therefore demand an exercise urgently so that all dual and doubtful voters be identified and cancelled.
This exercise will maintain the spirit of Representation of People’s Act, 1950 and 1951, and there will not be any need for NRC kind of exercise in our state,’ it stated.