Assam Cabinet Drops Foreigners' Tribunal Cases Against Koch Rajbongshi Community

‘D Voter’ Tag Also Removed in Landmark Decision, Says CM Himanta Biswa Sarma​

Guwahati, April 4 — In a major relief to the Koch Rajbongshi community, the Assam cabinet has unanimously decided to withdraw all pending cases against its members in the state's Foreigners' Tribunals. The government will also remove the controversial 'D' or 'doubtful' voter tag associated with people from the community.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the decision during a press conference on Friday following the cabinet meeting, calling it a “historic step.”

“There are 28,000 cases pending in different Foreigners’ Tribunals in the state against people of the Koch Rajbongshi community. The cabinet has taken a historic decision of lifting these cases with immediate effect,” said Sarma.

Koch Rajbongshis Recognised as Indigenous to Assam​

Reaffirming the state’s stand, the Chief Minister emphasized that the Koch Rajbongshis are an indigenous community deeply integrated into Assam’s social and cultural identity.

“The government believes that the Koch Rajbongshis are an inextricable part of our social and cultural fabric,” Sarma noted.

He further pointed out the socio-economic hardships faced by the community over the years, adding that the removal of the ‘foreigner’ label was a long-overdue act of justice.

“They will no longer carry the tag of foreigners or ‘D’ voters,” he reiterated.

Understanding the Role of Foreigners’ Tribunals​

Foreigners’ Tribunals are quasi-judicial bodies established under the Foreigners Act, 1946, and governed by the Foreigners (Tribunals) Order, 1964. These tribunals are tasked with determining the citizenship status of individuals, especially in Assam, where illegal immigration has long been a politically sensitive issue.

Assam currently has 100 Foreigners’ Tribunals, and many people—particularly from economically vulnerable backgrounds—have faced years-long legal battles to prove their Indian nationality.

Koch Rajbongshi Community: A Snapshot​

The Koch Rajbongshi community has a significant population in Assam, as well as in neighbouring states such as West Bengal and Meghalaya, and in parts of Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan. The community has been consistently advocating for recognition under the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category.

This latest move by the Assam government is seen as a step toward addressing longstanding grievances of the community and could have broader political and social implications in the region.