NEW DELHI: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is in the process of soon finalising detailed contours of the High Level Committee (HLC), comprising members drawn from the centre and the bordering states and terms of reference, to deal with issues relating to change in demography, security and other challenges posed by illegal immigrants in different States and Union Territories (UTs), sources said on Tuesday.
According to them the focus states in terms of demographic changes include Assam, West Bengal, North Eastern States and Jammu and Kashmir among others.
The sources said that a notification with regard to formation of such a HLC would soon be issued, as the names members and Terms of Reference of the panel are being worked out in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement in his Independence Day speech this year with regard to ‘Demography Commission’.
Soon after the announcement made by the Prime Minister on August 15, the MHA was assigned the task of giving it a formal shape, as a proposal in this regard was approved by the Union Cabinet.
A source in the Ministry said, “The high-level panel will suggest steps to deal with demographic changes arising out of illegal immigrants and other issues like security challenges.”
Of late the ruling BJP has made the issue of illegal immigrants a poll issue state after another during assembly elections. The BJP claims that the issue has assumed alarming proportions in the States like Assam and West Bengal though it has been contained to some extent in Jammu and Kashmir.
Notably, the Election Commission, meanwhile, is planning to launch Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls across the country, most likely in the month of October or November. The aim is to weed out ineligible from the voters’ list.