Himanta Biswa Sarma: 1.2 lakh 'D' voters identified, 41,583 declared foreigners

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Wednesday that nearly 1.2 lakh people in the state have been identified as 'D' (Dubious or Doubtful) voters, with 41,583 declared as foreigners. 

In response to a query by Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia, Sarma stated that a total of 1,19,570 people have been marked as D-voters so far. 

Of these, 76,233 have been confirmed as Indians, while 41,583 have been identified as foreigners. Sarma, who also holds the Home portfolio, mentioned that 522 people detained for two years and 273 detained for three years have been released on bail following Supreme Court directions. 

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The concerned countries are verifying the nationality of the declared foreigners, and they will be repatriated once travel permits are issued. 

The status of D-voters is updated based on orders from foreign tribunals and subsequent court judgments. From 2001 to August 1 this year, 1,00,076 cases were registered at the FTs. 

The concept of D-voters was introduced in Assam in 1997 by the Election Commission, targeting those who could not prove their Indian nationality. 

The issue remains a contentious topic in Assam's political and social discourse, affecting several elections. 

If the legal system deems an individual a foreigner, their name is removed from the electoral rolls, while confirmed Indian citizens have the 'D' prefix removed.