D Voters

Source: DTE

Context: The Assam Assembly witnessed discussions on ‘D’ (Doubtful) voters, with the Opposition demanding closure of the detention center and the tabling of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) report.

About D Voters:

Who are ‘D’ Voters?

• ‘D’ (Doubtful) voters are individuals whose Indian citizenship is under question, and they are barred from voting or contesting elections.

• The Election Commission of India (ECI) introduced this category in 1997 in Assam to identify those who failed to prove their citizenship.

Classification as ‘D’ Voters:

• Any person whose citizenship status is in doubt during electoral roll verification is marked as a ‘D’ voter.

• Cases are referred to Foreigners Tribunals (FTs), which decide whether the person is an Indian citizen or an illegal immigrant.

• Families may have some members recognized as citizens while others are marked as ‘D’ voters, causing legal and social distress.

Rules Governing ‘D’ Voters:

• The Citizenship Act, 1955, and the Citizenship Rules, 2003, do not define ‘D’ voters explicitly.

• The 2003 Citizenship Rules mandate that details of individuals whose citizenship is doubtful be entered in the National Population Register (NPR) with a remark for further verification.

• They are not allowed to vote or contest elections until they get clearance from the Foreigners Tribunal (FT).

Key Features of ‘D’ Voter Status:

• Temporary Classification: The ‘D’ voter status cannot be prolonged indefinitely, and a final decision must be taken within a definite period.

• Legal Recourse: Individuals can appeal to the Foreigners Tribunal and seek clearance for inclusion in NRC.

• Detention & Deportation: If declared a foreigner, the person may be deported or placed in a detention center.

• Impact on Families: Many cases involve split families, where some members are marked as ‘D’ voters while others hold Indian citizenship.

• Plight of Detainees: Many Indian citizens have been detained, with no clear mechanism for their release even after years.