In Brief
The Supreme Court set aside a Gauhati High Court order that had invalidated certificates issued by Village Panchayat Secretaries as supporting documents in the National Register of Citizens (NRC) verification process. The Court held that such certificates, which confirm residence shifts of married women, are valid supporting documents under the Citizenship Act, 1955. While not direct proof of citizenship, these certificates establish linkage between claimants and legacy persons and can be admitted if their authenticity and contents are properly verified through appropriate inquiry. The Court found the High Court had exceeded jurisdiction by deciding this issue without notice to affected persons."
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