Shillong, Feb 13: The Hynñiewtrep Integrated Territorial Organisation (HITO) has written to the Chief Electoral Officer of Meghalaya, BDR Tiwari, expressing concerns over the upcoming Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The pressure group has requested a comprehensive review of the process, citing the need to protect the state’s indigenous identity and cultural heritage.
In the memorandum, HITO president Donbok Dkhar referred to a 1985 petition by the late Martin Narayan Majaw, former Law Minister, to the Supreme Court, highlighting the need to apply the Assam Accord to address the issue of foreigners in Meghalaya.
The Assam Accord was signed in 1985 after several years of violent and deadly agitation. The Assam Movement was willing to accept all migrants who came into the state prior to 1966 and the central government agreed to identify and deport all refugees and migrants who arrived in Assam after March 1971.
As Meghalaya only came into existence in 1972, HITO argued that the same provisions should apply to Meghalaya as well.
In the letter, HITO highlights the state’s geographical location near the India-Bangladesh border and the ease of obtaining Aadhaar cards as concerns that could lead to unauthorized foreign nationals enrolling in the electoral rolls.
The pressure group also recommended that the enrolment process refrain from accepting Aadhaar cards as exclusive identification and instead recognise local documents issued by village dorbars, Syiem, Nokma, etc and clan certificates as legitimate proof of identity and residency.
