Allowed

Karim Ali @ Abdul Karim v. the Union of India and 3 Ors.

Gauhati HC16 Jun 2022WP(C)/7361/2017

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

A citizenship claim supported by family testimony and documentary evidence was rejected for gaps in electoral rolls. The Court held that the petitioner discharged his burden on a preponderance of probability, set aside the Foreigners Tribunal’s opinion and declared him Indian without remanding the matter.

What did the court decide?

Foreigners Tribunal’s opinion set aside; petitioner declared to be Indian.

Karim Ali @ Abdul Karim Vs the Union… — Constitutional and Fundamental Rights | Gauhati HC (2022)

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GAHC010204562017

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THE GAUHATI HIGH COURT (HIGH COURT OF ASSAM, NAGALAND, MIZORAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH)

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Case No. : WP(C)/7361/2017

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KARIM ALI @ ABDUL KARIM

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S/O. LT. ASADUZ ZAMAN @ ASADU ZAMAN, R/O. PACHIM MATIA, P.S. MATIA, DIST. GOALPARA, ASSAM.

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VERSUS

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THE UNION OF INDIA and 3 ORS

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REP. BY THE SECRETARY TO THE GOVT. OF INDIA, MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS, SHASTRI BHAWAN, TILOK MARG, NEW DELHI.

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2:THE STATE OF ASSAM

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REP. BY THE COMMISSIONER and SECRETARY TO THE GOVT. OF ASSAM HOME DEPTT.

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DISPUR GUWAHATI-6.

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3:THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER GOALPARA

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P.O. and DIST. GOALPARA ASSAM.

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4:THE SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE B GOALPARA

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P.O. and DIST. GOALPARA ASSAM

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Advocate for the Petitioner : MR.N AHMED

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Advocate for the Respondent : ASSTT.S.G.I.R. 1.

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BEFORE

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HON’BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE (ACTING) MR. N. KOTISWAR SINGH HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE NANI TAGIA

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Date of Hearing : 28.03.2022 Date of Judgment : 16.06.2022

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JUDGMENT AND ORDER (CAV)

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[ N. Kotiswar Singh, Chief Justice (Acting) ]

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Heard Mr. A.R. Sikdar, learned counsel for the petitioner. Also heard Ms. L. Devi, learned counsel appearing on behalf of Mr. R.K. Dev Choudhury, learned Asstt. SGI, accepts notice for respondent no.1; Mr. G. Sarma, learned Special Counsel, F.T., accepts notice for respondent no.4 and Ms. U. Das, learned Judicial Government Advocate, Assam, accepts notice for respondent nos. 2 & 3.

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In this petition the petitioner has challenged the impugned order dated 18.09.2017 passed in F.T. Case No.FT/5/341/MA/16 by the Foreigners Tribunal No.5^th , Goalpara.

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After a reference was made and notice issued by the Tribunal, the petitioner duly appeared before the Tribunal and filed his written statement and produced a number of documents. The petitioner examined himself as D.W.1 and his maternal uncle, namely Maharaj Ali as D.W.2, his mother, namely, Kadbhanu Nessa as D.W.3 and his younger brother, namely, Abdul Kuddus as D.W.4 to substantiate that the petitioner is an Indian and not a foreigner. However, the Tribunal declined to believe the plea of the petitioner, primarily, on the

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ground that though there is evidence that his father had appeared in the Intermediate Examination held in the year 1968 from Katarihara Senior Madrassa but thereafter, the petitioner’s father’s name did not appear in any of the voters lists except in the voters lists of 1985 and afterwards. Accordingly, the Tribunal made the finding against the petitioner by holding that the petitioner is a foreigner who entered into Assam after 1971.

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Learned counsel for the petitioner, however, submits that there are sufficient evidences on record to substantiate his claim that he is an Indian and not a foreigner. In this regard he has referred to oral and documentary evidences brought from his maternal as well as from the paternal side. According to the petitioner, the father of the petitioner was a Gharjamai (a person who resides in the house of his wife after marriage) and as such, the petitioner has referred to various documents from his mother’s side.

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Before we proceed to examine the reasons as to why the petitioner had been declared

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as a foreigner by the Tribunal, it may be apposite to refer to the oral and documentary evidence adduced before the Tribunal.

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EVIDENCES :

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Coming to the documentary evidence as can be seen from the original records which are produced before us, one admit card issued by the State Madrassa Education Board, Government of Assam, which was exhibited as Exhibit-A(i) before the Tribunal, in which the name of one Md. Asadozzaman of Katarihara Senior Madrassa is shown, who had appeared in the intermediate examination in the year 1968 held in Dhubri under Roll No. 18. The said Exhibit-A(i) is the duplicate copy of the admit card. Exhibit-B is the voters list of 1966 in which the name of Maubhan Bewa as the wife of Late Alimuddin appeared showing her to be

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aged about 60 years. It is the case of the petitioner that the said Maubhan Bewa is the paternal grandmother i.e. the mother of his father Asadoz Zaman. Voters list of 1970 which is exhibited as Exhibit-C where the name of said Maubhan Bewa again appears as the wife of Late Alimuddin. Exhibit-D is a copy of the Middle School Leaving Certificate issued by the Government of Assam, Department of Public Instruction, 1940 in the name of Abdul Goni Mia, who is the father of the petitioner’s mother Kadbhanu Nessa, from Ramharichar MV School, Goalpara. Exhibit-E is the service document issued to Abdul Goni Mia. The petitioner has also exhibited the NRC of 1951 as Exhibit-E issued to his grandfather Abdul Goni Mia. Another document showing the employment of the said Abdul Ghoni as a teacher issued in the year 1970 is exhibited as Exhibit-E. Again Exhibit-F is the copy of the NRC of 1951 where the name of Abdul Gani Mia appeared as the son of Kanu Sheikh. Exhibit-G is the voters list of 1961 showing the name of Abdul Gani as the son of Kanu under the village Sonerchala, DistrictGoalpara. Exhibit-H(ii) is the voters list of 1985 in which the name of the petitioner’s father Assadu Zamal appeared along with the petitioner’s mother Kadbhanu Nessa in Paschim Matia village under Goalpara district. Exhibit-H is the voters list of 1989 in which the name of the petitioner appeared along with his father and mother under Paschim Matia village in Goalpara district. Voters list of 1997 is exhibited as Exhibit H(I), in which the name of the petitioner appeared along with his mother Kadbhanu Nessa. Exhibit-J is the Jamabandi copy issued by the Circle Officer of Matia Revenue Circle where the proceedee and his brothers’ names appeared showing as the possessor of the land. Panchayat certificate issued in the name of the petitioner on 02.11.1993 is also exhibited as Exhibit-K(I). Marriage certificate in respect of the petitioner is exhibited as Exhibit-L. One Indane Gas connection document issued in the name of the petitioner, is exhibited as Exhibit-Q.

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In the written statement filed by the petitioner it has been mentioned that the petitioner’s father, namely, Asadul Zaman was a resident of Vilalge-Bhalarvita, P.S.-Lakhipur, under Goalpra district and he was born to Alim Uddin and Moubhan Nessa. However, after his marriage to Kadbhanu Nessa, the petitioner’s father, stayed along with his wife Kadbhanu Nessa, petitioner’s mother, at the house of his father-in-law and was studying in Katarihara Senior Madrassa. It has been also mentioned that the petitioner’s father roamed around different places of Assam after his education for religious preaching, due to which, he never bothered to get himself enrolled in the voters lists. However, only in the year 1985 he got himself enrolled in the voters list.

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In the written statement the petitioner also has mentioned the relationship of her mother along with her other relatives.

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As mentioned above, 4 (four) witnesses including the proceedee, his mother, uncle and younger brother deposed before the Tribunal.

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As far as the mother of the petitioner, Kadbhanu Nessa is concerned, she stated that she is the daughter of one Abdul Gani Miah and wife of Asaduz Zaman and she was born at Ramharir Char village sometime in the year 1952 and brought up in the village Kharmuja. She also stated that after she got married to Asaduz Zaman about 50 years ago, she and her husband stayed in her parental house at Kharmuja for about 10 years and her husband was studying in Katarihara Institute. She also mentioned the names of her children in her evidence-in-chief. She also mentioned in her evidence-in-chief that her husband was travelling to various places of Assam for religious work and as such, his name did not appear in the voters lists of 1970, 1975, 1977 and 1979 in the village Kharmuja where she was

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staying but only later on, his name was entered in the voters list of 1985. She has also mentioned about various voters lists in which her name appeared along with her husband and his son Abdul Karim i.e. the voters lists of 1989 as well as 1997. The mother of the petitioner was cross-examined by the State in which she clearly stated that she got married to Asaduz Zamman son of Late Alimuddin of village Bhalarvita and after their marriage her husband was residing at her father’s residence at Kharmuja. She also stated that out of the said wedlock, she has two sons and one daughter. She stated that she stayed together with her husband for 10 years at Kharmuja and thereafter, they shifted to Mujkari Islampur and there they stayed for about 1 ½ year and thereafter, they shifted to Paschim Matia. The mother of the petitioner also clearly mentioned about the name of the wife of the petitioner i.e. Rahimon Nessa and the petitioner’s children, namely, Rakibul Islam, Rajib Hussain and Nasima Yasmin.

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The uncle of the petitioner Maharaj Ali, who is the younger brother of the petitioner’s mother Kadbhanu Nessa, also gave his statement, more or less corroborating the averments made in the written statement. Maharaj Ali during his cross-examination stated that they are presently residing in Paschim Matia and his sister Kadbhanu is still alive. He also corroborated the statement of the petitioner’s mother Kadbhanu Nessa that she was staying with her younger son Abdul Kuddus. The said Maharaj Ali in the cross-examination also stated that his elder sister and her husband used to reside at his father’s house situated at Kharmuja as Gharjamai and stayed there for about 7 years and thereafter, shifted to Mujkari Islampur. After staying there for about 2 years, later on, shifted to Paschim Matia by constructing a dwelling house. The said Maharaj Ali also mentioned that Kadbhanu Nessa has three sons and three daughters and two of her younger daughters had already expired. He also mentioned that there is a patta land at Kharmuja and Ramharir Char and as per his

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knowledge, the grandfather of the proceedee i.e. Md. Abdul Gani Mia also possessed some land at Balarvita.

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The proceedee also gave his testimony and was cross-examined. In the crossexamination he also gave similar statement as the other 2 (two) witnesses, thus, the statements of these witnesses corroborated one another.

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However, in spite of the aforesaid oral and documentary evidences adduced by the proceedee, the Tribunal found it difficult to believe the proceedee’s claim that he is an Indian.

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SUBMISSION OF THE PETITIONER :

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Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the reason for the Tribunal not to believe the claim of the petitioner appears to be unreasonable and not based on legal premise. It has been submitted by learned counsel for the petitioner that the fact that the mother, uncle and younger brother of the petitioner had testified corroborating each other was sufficient enough to prove the claim of the petitioner. It has been submitted that the evidence of the mother, uncle and his younger brother were never seriously contested by the State. In fact, as can be seen from the cross-examination, their claims that they are mother, uncle and brother of the proceedee were never put to question. Though during the crossexamination certain questions were asked about the relationships, names of the relatives and shifting of the procedee from Kharmuja to Mujkari Islampur and thereafter, Paschim Matia, these have been consistently stated by all the witnesses which were not shaken. It has accordingly been submitted that under the circumstances, there is no reason for not believing the evidence of the mother, uncle and brother

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In this regard, learned counsel for the petitioner has referred to the decision of the

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Hon’ble Supreme Court rendered in Sham Lal @ Kuldip vs. Sanjeev Kumar & Ors. reported in (2009) 12 SCC 454 as well as the decision of this Court in Abdul Khalque (Md.) vs. Union of India reported in 2013 (1) GLT 941 .

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In Sham Lal (supra) it has been held by the Hon’ble Supreme Court that if the relationship between father and the mother and the birth of the person during the subsistence of the marriage has been shown, it will raise the presumption under Section 112 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 about the paternity and maternity of the person concerned.

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In the present case, it has been submitted that the names of the petitioner’s parents are Asaduz Zaman (father) and Kadbhanu Nessa (mother) and after their marriage the petitioner was born to them, and the same had not been questioned. Under the circumstances, there will be presumption in favour of the petitioner that he is the son of the aforesaid persons as provided under Section 112 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872.

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In this regard, learned counsel for the petitioner has referred to para-9, 10, 18 and 19

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of Sham Lal (supra), which are as follows :

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“10. Section 112 of the Indian Evidence Act is based on English law. Section 112 reproduces rule of English law that it is undesirable to inquire into paternity of child when mother is married woman and husband had access to her. Adultery on her part will not justify finding of illegitimacy if husband has had access. [See: Nga Tun E v. Mi Chon A.I.R. 1914 Upper Burma 36]. More than a century ago in Bhima v. Dhulappa (1904), the Court aptly observed that section 112 of the Evidence Act is based on the principle that when a particular relationship, such as marriage, is shown to exist, then its continuance must prima facie be preserved. The fact that a woman is living in notorious adultery, though of course it amounts to very strong evidence, is not, in itself quite sufficient to repel this presumption [See: R v. Inhabitants of Mansfield, 1941, 1 QB 444, 450].

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In Lal Haribansha v. Nikunja Behari, ILR 1960 Cuttack 230, relying on Ma Wun Di and Another v. Ma Kin and Others XXXV IA 41, the Court stated that:

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"It is the principle of law that "Odiosa et inkonesta non sunt in lege prae sumenda" (Nothing odious or dishonourable will be presumed by the law). So the law presumes against vice and immorality. One of the strongest illustrations of the principle, is the presumption in favour of legitimacy of children in a civilized society. But, where illegitimacy seems as common as marriage and legitimacy, a presumption of legitimacy cannot be drawn and legitimacy or illegitimacy will have to be proved like any other fact in issue.

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……’

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In Smt. Kamti Devi a v. Poshi Ram reported in 2001 5 SCC 311, this Court held as under:

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"Section 112 which raises a conclusive presumption about the paternity of the child born during the subsistence of a valid marriage, itself provides an outlet to the party who wants to escape from the rigour of that conclusiveness. The said outlet is, if it can be shown that the parties had no access to each other at the time when the child could have been begotten the presumption could be rebutted."

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In the impugned judgment, the High Court observed that in the present case admittedly the plaintiff and defendant no.4 were born to Smt. Durgi during the continuance of her marriage with the deceased Balak Ram. Therefore, in the absence of cogent and reliable evidence as to non-access on the part of the deceased Balak Ram, presumption under Section 112 of the Indian Evidence Act would be available and it will have to be held that plaintiff and defendants are sons of deceased Balak Ram. On ground of public policy, it is undesirable to enquire into the paternity of a child whose parents "have access" to each other. The presumption of legitimacy arises from birth in wedlock and not from conception."

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In the present case there is no question about the relationship or cohabitation of the

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Asaduz Zaman with Kadbhanu Nessa after they got married and as such, in the light of the specific oral testimony of the mother Kadbhanu Nessa that the present proceedee is her son, the said presumption under Section 112 of the Evidence Act, 1872 stands firmly established. It has been submitted that the aforesaid relationship has been fully corroborated by the evidence of petitioner’s uncle Maharaj Ali, who was also examined as D.W.2 and also by the younger brother of the proceedee, namely, Abdul Kudus, who was examined as D.W.4. Learned counsel for the petitioner referring to the decision of this Court in Abdul Khalique (Md) vs. Union of India & Ors, 2013 (1) GLT 941 also held that once there is a categorical statement made by the proceedee that the particular person is his grandfather and since, such statement has not been challenged or asked during the cross examination, such a statement cannot be ignored. In this regard, learned counsel for the petitioner has referred to para-9 of the said decision of Abdul Khalque (supra) which is reproduced herein below:

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“9. The appellant in his deposition, in categorical term, has stated that his grand-

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father’s name is Abdul Wahab whose name appears in the voter’s list of the year 1965 pertaining to Samaguri Legislative Assembly constituency. The wintness nos. 2 and 3,

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namely, the Gaonbura and the villagers of Dijubasti village has proved the said voter’s list, which is marked as Exhibit-‘ka’. Witness no.3 has also stated that Abdul Wahab is the grandfather of the appellant. Such statements of witnesses have not been challenged by the State by way of cross-examination. Witness no.2, the Gaonbura of dijulibasti, however, has stated that though the name of one Abdul Wahab appears in the voter’s list of 1965 pertaining to Samaguri Legislative Assembly Constituency, he however, does not know who is Abdul Wahab and whether he is the grandfather of the appellant. Witness nos. 1 and 3 having categorically stated that Abdul Wahab is the grandfather of the appellant, such evidence of witness no.2 would not demolish the case of the appellant as revealed from the evidence adduced by him, more so, when there was no cross-examination of any of the witnesses examined.”

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It has been submitted that under such circumstances, there cannot be any iota of doubt about the claim of the petitioner that the petitioner is the son of said Kadbhanu Nessa and Asaduz Zaman.

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Learned counsel for the petitioner has also referred to the decisions which are as follows:

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(i) Haidar Ali vs. Union of India & Ors. Reported in 2021 (3) GLT 85.

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(ii) Idrish Ali vs. Union of India & Ors [W.P.(C) No.4116/2019) disposed of on 27.02.2020.

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Learned counsel for the petitioner also submits that the reasoning assigned by the learned Tribunal that though there is evidence on record that the name of the father of the petitioner appeared in the Intermediate Examination in the year 1968 but after that he left

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the country and entered into Assam after 1970 is without any evidence. It has been submitted that in fact it is not the case of the petitioner that he had left the country and entered into India (Assam). It is the specific claim of the petitioner that his father used to roam around in the State of Assam for religious preaching and never left Assam and as such, the said finding of the Tribunal is not supported by any evidence. The Tribunal also made the observation that though the petitioner’s father had appeared in the Intermediate Examination in the Katarihara Senior Madrassa in the year 1968 and took birth in the village Balarvita, his name was never enrolled in the voters lists of 1970 or 1975 but his name was enrolled in the voters lists of 1985 and afterwards, and that the assertion of the petitioner that his father was roaming in the Assam is not believable at all.

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Learned counsel for the petitioner has also questioned as untenable, the observation made by the Tribunal that as the name of the father of the petitioner was enrolled for the first time under the village Paschim Matia in the year 1985, therefore, confirms it that the plea of the petitioner that the parents of the petitioner used to reside at village Kharmuja is totally false, as there is no documentary evidence to show that they had resided at Kharmuja and it is also false that the petitioner was born in Kharmuja. Learned counsel for the petitioner has also questioned the finding of the Tribunal wherein it was held that whether the father of the petitioner inherited property from his father or not, is not clear from the documents filed and the same may be purchased after 1971 which is after the entry in Assam. Accordingly, it has been submitted that the finding arrived at by the Tribunal is not in accordance with law and not based on evidence and as such, the same is liable to be interfered with.

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Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that on the other hand, there are sufficient documents to show that the petitioner is the son of the aforesaid Asaduz Zaman and

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Kadbhanu Nessa. The name of the petitioner’s paternal grandmother Moubha Bewa appeared in the voters list of 1966. Further, the petitioner’s mother was born to Abdul Goni Mia who was serving as a teacher sometime in the year 1941 in the State of Assam, and there are other documentary evidences to prove that the petitioner is an Indian, and not a foreigner who had entered illegally from Bangladesh to Assam and accordingly, it has been submitted that the impugned order passed by the Foreigners Tribunal is liable to be set aside and the present petition may be allowed and the petitioner may be declared as an Indian.

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SUBMISSION OF THE STATE :

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Per contra, Mr. G. Sarma, learned Special Standing Counsel states that mere filing of written statement and the oral testimony are not sufficient to prove the citizenship of a person, as necessary documentary evidences are required to be proved in support of the oral evidence and in the present case, apart from oral evidence, no other documentary evidence has been relied on or proved to show that the present petitioner is the son of the aforesaid Asaduz Zaman and Kadbhanu Nessa. In this regard, the learned counsel for the State has relied on the decision of this Court passed in WP(C) No.562/2016 (Bijoy Das vs. the Union

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of India & Ors.) decided on 18.04.2018, wherein it was held that mere filing of the written statement or oral testimony in the proceeding under Foreigners Act would not be enough. It has been submitted that the fact in issue has to be proved by the proceedee by adducing documentary evidence which are admissible and relevant and similarly to this effect, this Court also held in WP(C) no.1900/2019 ( Nur Begum vs. the Union of India & Ors.) disposed of on 18.02.2020 that the oral testimony alone does not prove the citizenship of a person.

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It has been also submitted by Mr. G. Sarma, learned Special Standing Counsel, FT, that it is clearly evident from the records and also noted by the Tribunal that there is no single voters list showing the name of the petitioner’s father before the voters list of 1985 and if the petitioner’s father was really born in India and had passed his Intermediate Examination from Katarihara Senior Madrassa in the year 1968 as claimed by the petitioner, there is no reason why his father’s name should not be included in any of the voters list before the voters list of 1985. It would clearly indicate that the petitioner’s father is not from this country and had gone out of this country as recorded by the Tribunal. Under the circumstances, it has been submitted that the order passed by the Tribunal is in accordance with law and does not require any interference of this Court.

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Mr. G. Sarma also submits that even after certain documents have been filed, it is the onus of the proceedee to prove the same and if the proceedee fails to do so, it would render such documents not admissible in law. In other words, irrespective of whether objection is raised to any document or not, it is the bounden duty of the proceedee to discharge the obligation by proving the same as held by this Court in WP(C) No.6344/2016 ( Rukia Begum vs. Union of India ) decided on 29.05.2018.

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As regards the land document, it has been submitted by learned Special Standing Counsel that it merely shows that the land was mutated in favour of the petitioner on 02.08.2017 on the basis of the certain deed dated 17.08.2016 and as such, the said document being post 1971 is of no help to the petitioner.

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FINDINGS BY THE TRIBUNAL :

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Though the petitioner had referred to a number of documents which were exhibited as

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Exhibits-A, A1, B, C, D, E, G, H, H1, H2, J as referred to above, the effective reasoned conclusion of the Tribunal is to be found in para-6 of the impugned order dated 18.09.2017 in which The Tribunal after referring to the aforesaid documents, made these observations:

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“Most pertinent is that if the father of the opposite party appeared in the intermediate examination of Madrassa in the year 1968 and he took birth at village Balarvita then why his name is not enrolled in the electoral roll of 1979 at village Paschim Matia.”

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The Tribunal, thereafter, observed that the name of the petitioner’s father was enrolled in the electoral roll of 1979 at village Paschim Matia. The Tribunal then went on to observe that the opposite party had stated in his written statement that his father was a religious person and hence, he had to travel everywhere in Assam and as such, his father’s name was not enrolled in the electoral roll before that year, is not believable at all, and if the opposite party took birth in the year 1970 at village Kharmuja then his father was present in the year 1970 at village Kharmuja, but his name was not enrolled at that time from that village.

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Learned Tribunal then made the following observations:

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“Opposite party in his written statement and in the evidence in chief has stated that he reads at village Muskuri Islampur. Now it is appeared from the record that the name of the father of the opposite party enrolled for the first time at village Paschim Matia in the year 1985, therefore, it is confirmed that the plea that the parents of the opposite party used to reside at village Kharmuja is totally false as the opposite party miserably failed to show any documentary evidence that his parents reside at kharmuja and he took birth at Kharmuja re also false.”

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Thus, from the above, it is clear that the Tribunal did not believe the claim of the

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petitioner that his parents earlier used to reside in Kharmuja and thereafter, shifted to Paschim Matia.

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Thereafter, the Tribunal went on to make observation that, “I have seen that the father of the opposite appeared in the intermediate examination in the year 1968 but after that he left the country and entered into Assam after 1970.”

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Thus, from the above it is seen that the Tribunal made a categorical finding that the petitioner’s father had left the country and entered into Assam after 1971.

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Thereafter, the Tribunal proceeded to make the following observation:

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Although the opposite party shows the land documents of Paschim Matia but from the same, it is not clear that whether the father of the opposite party inherited the same from his father or not? The same may be purchased after 1971 i.e. after their entry in Assam.

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The evidence of the opposite party are not at all coupled with the documents exhibited by the opposite party. There is nothing to believe that the opposite party Abdul Karim @ Karim son of Asaduz Zaman is not entered into Assam after 1971 and hence, the claim that the opposite party born and brought up at village Kharmuja is not proved at all.”

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ANALYSIS BY THE COURT :

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The Tribunal had observed that though the father of the opposite party appeared in the intermediate examination in the year 1968 and he took birth in the village Balarvita, his name was not enrolled in the electoral rolls of 1970 or 1975, but his name was enrolled in the electoral roll of 1985 from village Paschim Matia.

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In regard to this, if the evidence that the opposite party’s father appeared in the Intermediate Examination in the year 1968 is considered to be genuine and no question was raised by the Tribunal, merely because the name of the petitioner’s father was not entered in the electoral rolls of 1970 or 1975, cannot be a reason to ignore the said evidence of the petitioner’s father by the Tribunal and declare the petitioner’s father to have entered into Assam after 1971. The natural consequence which will flow from the said evidence of appearing in the Intermediate Examination of the year 1968 must be given full effect to, irrespective of whether the petitioner’s father name appeared in the voters lists of 1970 or 1975 not. Though the voters list of a person is a relevant document to prove the citizenship of a person but in absence of the same, it cannot be a ground to disbelieve the status of the citizenship of a person. In in case, if any corroborative evidence exists to the claim of citizenship, which in our opinion in the present case, exists, in the form of the examination certificate of 1968, the claim of the petitioner cannot be doubted.

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The Tribunal in its order dated 18.09.2017 has mentioned that the fact that the petitioner’s father was a religious person and he had to travel various places in Assam and as such, his name was not enrolled in the electoral roll for the years, is not believable.

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In our view, the aforesaid observation of the Tribunal that it is not believable, cannot be said to be a reasonable inference. Merely because a person roams around in different parts of the State and his name is not included in the voters lists, he cannot be treated not to be an Indian. Unusualness of a situation or fact cannot render a fact non-existent. The worth of an evidence and as its credibility, has to be examined along with the surrounding circumstances.

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The claim of the petitioner that his father being a religious person and an itinerant, and as such, his name was not entered in voters lists prior to 1985 was not believed by the Tribunal and held he is not an Indian. However, evidence exists that he appeared in the Intermediate Examination in 1968 in this country. This factum of his appearing in the examination in 1968 has not been disputed, challenged or doubted. Rather, the Tribunal also accepted it.

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Further, the finding of the Tribunal that his father after appearing in the examination in the year 1968 left the country and entered in to Assam after 1970 is not based on any evidence or the case of the State, but purely a mere surmise by the Tribunal.

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Further, the observation of the Tribunal that there is no document to show that the parents of the opposite party used to reside in village Kharmuja cannot be held to be proper.

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The petitioner had clearly stated in his written statement that his parents were staying in Kharmuja initially after they got married and thereafter, they shifted to Muskuri Islampur and than, to Paschim Matia. The said evidence was corroborated by all the witnesses who had appeared before the Tribunal including the mother, uncle and younger brother of the proceedee.

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While scrutinizing the cross-examination, nothing has been brought to our notice that the aforesaid factum of shifting from the Kharmuja to Muskuri Islampur and thereafter to Paschim Matia by the parents of the petitioner has been really doubted or questioned.

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It is not necessary that every averment or fact asserted has to be supported by documentary evidence.

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Section 59 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 provides that all facts except the contents

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of documents or electronic records may be proved by oral evidence.

¶122

Thus, it is not necessary that every facts must be proved only with the help of documentary evidence. That will be contrary to the law of evidence.

¶123

Further, as provided under Section 91 of the Evidence Act, oral evidence is excluded only in respect of certain situations or transactions, viz., in terms of a contract or of a grant for any other disposition of property, which have been reduced to the form of document and in all cases in which any matter is required by law to be reduced to the form of document. But there is no rule of evidence that every factum has to be proved only with the help of the documentary evidence. Thus, is not correct to hold that every fact of relationship between the parties or the place of stay or shifting of residence has to be proved with the aid of documentary evidence.

¶124

In the present case, however, it is not that there are no documentary evidences to support the oral evidence so adduced by the petitioner as far as his relationships and place of stay are concerned.

¶125

As per Exhibit –A, which is a school certificate issued by the Katarihara Senior Madrassa, the petitioner’s father Asaduz Zaman was a resident of Balarvita. It has also been stated by the petitioner’s mother that she got married to Asaduz Zaman when the said Asaduz Zaman was a resident of Balarvita but after marriage they shifted to Kharmauja and as such, we think that there is no reason to disbelieve the oral testimony of the petitioner’s mother including, uncle, who is the younger brother of the petitioner’s mother about the aforesaid facts.

¶126

As regards the observation made by the Tribunal that after the petitioner’s father

¶127

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¶128

appeared in the Intermediate Examination in the year 1968, he left the country and entered into Assam (India) after 1971, is not based on any evidences. No evidence was led by the State to that effect. Neither is there anything in the evidence of the petitioner on the basis of which one can draw such an inference. The petitioner had taken a categorical plea that after passing of the examination in the year 1968, the father of the petitioner had been roaming around in the State of Assam for giving religious preaching. There is no evidence adduced by anyone including the State to show that the father of the petitioner had left the country and entered Assam after 1971 as observed by the Tribunal. The said observation made by the Tribunal in our view is dehores any evidence and only on mere surmise and as such, the said observation cannot be sustained.

¶129

Coming to the observation of the Tribunal that though the petitioner has shown land document of Pashim Matia, it is not clear from that, as to whether his father had inherited from his father or not and same may have been after 1971 i.e. after entry in Assam in the year 1971, it can be certainly stated that he was residing at Pashim Matia and is the son of Asaduz Zaman. Similarly, though the Tribunal stated that the said Jamabandi does not indicate when the petitioner became a co-owner of the said land, it certainly is an evidence to the effect that the petitioner is the son of Asaduz Zaman.

¶130

CONCLUSION :

¶131

Under the circumstances, we are unable to accept the observations and the findings arrived at by the Tribunal. Consequently, issue which arises before us is whether to remand the matter to the Tribunal for fresh consideration or not.

¶132

Considering the evidences which were adduced before the Tribunal, we are of the view

¶133

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¶134

that it may not be necessary to remand the same before the Tribunal as the petitioner has adduced sufficient evidences to show that he is an Indian and not a foreigner.

¶135

In this regard, it may be noted that the standard of proof on the basis of which a proceedee is required to discharge his burden under Section 9 of the Foreigners Act, 1946 is preponderance of probability and not proof beyond reasonable doubt. In other words, if the proceedee is able to show the high degree of probability of being a citizen of this Country based on credible evidence, it can be said that he has discharged his burden. The law nowhere requires that a person has to discharge his burden on the basis of proof beyond reasonable doubt. Thus, by applying the said principle of preponderance of probability, we can examine as to whether the petitioner has been able to discharge the burden or not.

¶136

As discussed above, the petitioner had filed his written statement mentioning the particulars of his parents as to how his father had stayed in the house of his mother. In the written statement, it has been also clearly mentioned that the petitioner’s father was initially born in Balarvita and thereafter, got married to his mother Kadbhanu Nessa who is a resident of Kharmauja and thereafter, he was staying in the house of his wife in Kharmauja.

¶137

The learned Tribunal has not disbelieved the plea of the petitioner that his father appeared in the Intermediate Examination in 1968 from Katarihara Senior Madrassa based on the documentary evidence. The said documentary evidence of the petitioner’s father having appeared in the Intermediate Examination in 1968 has not been doubted, questioned nor impeached in any manner.

¶138

If that is so, the natural consequential effect of such a fact that his father was very much in India in 1968 cannot be doubted. In fact, it establishes the fact that the petitioner’s

¶139

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¶140

father was very much in India in the year 1968.

¶141

The absence of the petitioner’s father’s name in the voters lists of 1970 and 1975 has been explained by the petitioner and other witnesses by stating that his father being a religious person and itinerant was on the move most of the time and as such, the aforesaid reason for non-inclusion of his name in the voters lists cannot be said to be unreasonable explanation. In any event, merely because a person’s name has not been included in the voters lists, does not ipso facto lead to the conclusion that he is not an Indian if there are other credible evidences on record. In the present case, reasons have been satisfactorily assigned. This assertion of the petitioner and other witnesses has not been also impeached or challenged.

¶142

Though a copy of jamabandi on its own may not be sufficient to prove the citizenship of a person, the said jamabandi which indicates presence of the person in conjunction with other evidences on record, as discussed above, will indicate the continued presence of the person in the State and to that extent, the jamabandi will have relevance. The authenticity and genuineness of the said jamabandi has not been also questioned or challenged.

¶143

There is also a documentary evidence in respect of one Abdul Goni who is the father of the petitioner’s mother to show that he was serving in the State during 1980s who had passed Middle School Leaving Certificate Examination in 1941 whose name also finds place in 1951 NRC which were all exhibited, thus, indicate that the petitioner’s mother is also an Indian.

¶144

The plea of the petitioner that his father was a gharjamai (staying in the residence of his wife) so far does not appear to be also wholly unrealistic inasmuch as the petitioner’s

¶145

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¶146

mother also testified to that effect.

¶147

The evidence of the petitioner’s mother, in our opinion, is highly relevant and significant who testified from her direct knowledge about she being married to petitioner’s father and about shifting to different villages along with her husband and the also the testimony about the children born to her and the particulars of other relatives.

¶148

Certainly the evidence of Kadbhanu Nessa, the mother of petitioner that the petitioner is her son is a direct evidence. It will be from her direct knowledge as the mother. As the evidence of the petitioner’s mother Kadbhanu Nessa, who testified as DW3, was not shaken during the cross-examination, it has to be given the credibility it deserves, in the light of other evidences both oral and documentary.

¶149

In this regard, one may refer to Section 50 of Indian Evidence Act, 1872 which provides that when the Court has to form an opinion as to the relationship of one person to another, the opinion, expressed by conduct as to the existence of such relationship, of any person, who, as a member of the family or otherwise, has special means of knowledge on the subject is a relevant fact.

¶150

Kadbhanu Nessa, who the petitioner has projected to be his mother has in clear terms testified before the Tribunal on many personal and private incidents relating to her marriage to Asaduz Zaman and staying of her husband as Gharjamai, shifting to different villages, and about other relationships of both her father (paternal grandfather of the petitioner) Abdul Goni and various other relatives. The detail rendering of the accounts relating to the family of the said Kadbhanu Nessa who has a special means of knowledge has not been really shaken in course of cross-examination. Her testimony read in conjunction with other documentary

¶151

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¶152

evidences exhibited as referred to above, would, in our opinion, clearly corroborate and substantiate the claim of the petitioner that the petitioner, Karim Ali @ Abdul Karim is the son of Kadbhanu Nessa and Asaduz Zaman and as such, an Indian citizen.

¶153

It is also to be noted that the said oral testimony of Kadbhanu Nessa has been fully corroborated by the testimony of Maharaj Ali, DW2 who was the younger brother of Kadbhanu Nessa, the mother of the petitioner.

¶154

Thus, taking into consideration all the documentary evidences which have been produced in the light of the oral evidence adduced by the petitioner and his relatives, we are satisfied that the petitioner has been able to discharge his burden of proving that he is an Indian, not a foreigner.

¶155

Accordingly, we allow this petition by setting aside the impugned opinion dated

¶156

18.09.2017 passed in F.T. Case No.FT/5/341/MA/16 by the Foreigners Tribunal No.5^th , Goalpara and hold that the petitioner is an Indian.

¶157

Let the LCR of the Foreigners Tribunal (5^th ), Goalpara, be remitted forthwith.

¶158

JUDGE CHIEF JUSTICE (ACTING)

¶159

Comparing Assistant

Karim Ali @ Abdul Karim v. the Union of India and 3 Ors.

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Karim Ali @ Abdul Karim v. the Union of India and 3 Ors.

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