Concerns Raised Over Assam Land Revenue Regulation Amendment

Upamanyu Hazarika, a senior Supreme Court advocate, has urged Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Shah to reconsider the Assam Land Revenue Regulation Amendment, 2026. He argues that the new definition of 'original inhabitant' could blur the lines for identifying foreigners, potentially shifting the cut-off date for migrants from Bangladesh. Hazarika's concerns extend to the NRC process, where individuals classified as 'original inhabitants' faced a more lenient verification. He also highlights issues of land encroachment and calls for stricter enforcement of existing laws to protect sattra land. This situation raises significant questions about the future of Assam's demographic landscape.

By Narendra Chaudhary Sep 22, 2026, 10:23 IST

Legal Expert Calls for Government Intervention

File image of people gathered together for a campaign meeting at Algapur-Katlicherra constituency (Used for representational purpose) (Photo: @NasirHussainINC / X)

Guwahati, Sept 22: Upamanyu Hazarika, a prominent advocate in the Supreme Court and convener of the Prabrajan Virodhi Manch, has reached out to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He expressed concerns that the newly proposed definition of “original inhabitant” in the Assam Land Revenue Regulation Amendment, 2026, could undermine the 1971 cut-off date for identifying foreigners, potentially impacting the National Register of Citizens (NRC) process.

In his representation, Hazarika highlighted the serious consequences of this amendment, addressing the Prime Minister, the Union Home Minister, the chairman and members of the National Commission on Demographic Change, as well as the BJP’s national general secretary (organisation).

He criticized the amendment for merging indigenous populations with individuals of Bangladeshi or former East Bengal descent. According to Hazarika, the new criteria would allow individuals to be classified as “original inhabitants” if their family has resided in the region for three generations prior to January 2006, with each generation counted as 25 years.

“This means that a family that migrated from Bangladesh in 1979 could be recognized as original inhabitants, effectively moving the cut-off year for Bangladeshi migrants from 1971 to 1979,” he argued.

Hazarika further cautioned that this definition could affect the NRC, as the term “original inhabitant” is also referenced in regulations established under the Citizenship Act. He noted that individuals in this category underwent a more lenient verification process during the NRC implementation.

He referred to investigations allegedly conducted by district authorities in Nagaon and Kamrup in 2021, claiming that numerous individuals of Bangladeshi origin were classified as “original inhabitants” and included in the NRC without proper documentation.

Additionally, he mentioned a report from May 8, 2021, by the then State Coordinator of NRC, which suggested that approximately 25 lakh names were added to the register based on insufficient documentation.

The representation also addressed the issue of encroachment on sattra land. Citing data from the State government, Hazarika stated that around 15,288 bighas, or nearly 5,000 acres, of sattra land are currently encroached upon.

He accused the BJP-led government of failing to fulfill its political promise to clear sattra land, claiming that only a few areas have seen encroachment removal. Instead of introducing measures that could protect encroachers, he suggested that the government should enforce the Assam Land Grabbing (Prohibition) Act, 2010, which imposes penalties of up to five years in prison for land grabbing.

“If the government is genuinely committed to safeguarding sattra land, the definition of 'original inhabitant' should have a cut-off date of 1901, before the influx of migrants from East Bengal,” Hazarika concluded.