Fozar Ali v. The Union of India and 6 Ors

ORDER

10.06.2024

Heard Ms. D. Ghosh, learned counsel for the petitioner. Also heard Mr. A.I. Ali, learned counsel for the respondent i.e. Election Commission of India and Mr. M. Chetia, learned Government Advocate for the State respondents.

¶2The case of the petitioner is that in the voters list of 1997, the name of the petitioner was marked with the letter "D" and thereupon the petitioner has approached the concerned respondent authorities for removal of the tag "D" Page No.# 3/4 in his name from the voters list.

¶3As the concerned respondent authorities had failed to do so, the petitioner is before this Court under Article 226 of the Constitution of India for an appropriate direction that the letter "D" tagged with the name of the petitioner in the voters list be removed.

¶4Whether a person is a "D" voter or not is a matter of factual determination and the appropriate forum to do the same is the concerned Foreigners Tribunal. This Court in exercise of its powers under Article 226 of the Constitution of India would not have the competence to decide such a question which depends on the evidence that may be produced.

¶5In the circumstances, this Court therefore directs the respondent No. 6 i.e. Superintendent of Police (Border), Barpeta to verify as to whether the petitioner has already been referred to the concerned Foreigners Tribunal and if upon verification it is found that the petitioner has not been referred to the concerned Foreigners Tribunal, this Court further directs the said respondent No. 6 to refer the case of the petitioner as regards the mark "D" in the voters list in respect to 40 No. Sorbhog LAC to a competent Foreigners Tribunal, Barpeta district for an appropriate adjudication as regards the status of the petitioner as "D" voter in the concerned voters list.

¶6Reference be made within a period of 2(two) months from the date of receipt of a certified copy of this order. Upon such reference being made, the petitioner may participate in such proceedings and establish his case.

¶7If the case of the petitioner as per the records had already been referred to the relevant Foreigners Tribunal there would be no requirement to make any further reference and the detailed information of the earlier reference be communicated to the petitioner. Page No.# 4/4 With the above directions and observations, the instant writ petition stands disposed of.

JUDGE Mahruaii Comparing Assistant

PageoNo.#o1/4 GAHC010110972024 ooooooo ooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooTHEoGAUHATIoHIGHoCOURTo (HIGHoCOURToOFoASSAM,oNAGALAND,oMIZORAMoANDoARUNACHALoPRADESH)o CaseoNo.o:oWP(C)/2961/2024o FOZARoALIo SONoOFoLATEoJOSHIMoUDDIN,oRESIDENToOFoVILLAGE-oPASCHIMo MOINBARI,oPOSToOFFICE-oMOINBARI,oPOLICEoSTATION-oKALGACHIA,o DISTRICT-oBARPETA,oASSAM,oPIN-o781319 VERSUSo THEoUNIONoOFoINDIAoANDo6oORSo REPRESENTEDoBYoTHEoSECRETARY,oMINISTRYoOFoHOMEoAFFAIRS,o GOVERNMENToOFoINDIA,oSHASTRIoBHAWAN,oNEWoDELHI-o110001 2:THEoSTATEoOFoASSAM oREPRESENTEDoBYoTHEoSECRETARYoTOoTHEoGOVERNMENToOFoASSAM oHOMEoDEPARTMENT oDISPUR oGUWAHATI-o781006 3:THEoELECTIONoCOMMISSIONoOFoINDIA oREPRESENTEDoBYoTHEoCHIEFoELECTIONoCOMMISSION oNIRVACHANoSADAN oASHOKAoROAD oNEWoDELHI-o110001 4:THEoSTATEoCOORDINATOR oNATIONALoREGISTRATIONoOFoCITIZENS oASSAM o1SToFLOOR oACHYUToPLAZA oG.S.ROAD oBHANGAGARH oGUWAHATI oASSAM Page No.# 2/4 PIN- 781005 5:THE DISTRICT COMMISSIONER BARPETA POST OFFICE AND POLICE STATION- BARPETA DISTRICT- BARPETA ASSAM PIN- 781301 6:THE SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE (BORDER) BARPETA POST OFFICE AND POLICE STATION- BARPETA DISTRICT- BARPETA ASSAM PIN- 781301 7:THE OFFICER-IN-CHARGE OF KALGACHIA POLICE STATION POST OFFICE- KALGACHIA DISTRICT- BARPETA ASSAM PIN- 78131 Advocate for the Petitioner : MS. D GHOSH Advocate for the Respondent : DY.S.G.I. B E F O R E HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE KAUSHIK GOSWAMI