Verification of people in Bangladesh enclaves in India to start on July 6

NEW DELHIL: India will start the process of verification of people living in 51 border enclaves, to be handed over to Bangladesh as per the Land Boundary Agreement, on July 6.

During the intensive exercise, government officials will ask people living in the enclaves whether they would like to take Bangladeshi citizenship or want to remain as Indians.

"The exercise will start on July 6 simultaneously in all enclaves which will be given to Bangladesh as per LBA," a Home Ministry official said.

The verification process in Indian enclaves is expected to be completed before July 31, termed as 'Appointed Day' for the exchange of enclaves.

As per LBA, India will hand over 51 enclaves, comprising 7,110 acres to Bangladesh while the neighbouring country will give India 111 enclaves comprising around 17,160 acres.

Bangladesh and India will implement the Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) of 1974 and Protocol of 2011, in a phased manner over the next 11 months.

Between July 31, 2015 and June 30, 2016, the entire process, including physical exchange of enclaves and land parcels in adverse possession along with boundary demarcation, is expected to be completed.

India and Bangladesh will print, sign at plenipotentiary level and exchange the strip maps of the un-demarcated sectors by the Appointed Day.

Both governments will facilitate "orderly, safe and secure passage" to the enclave dwellers along with their "personal belongings and movable property" to Bangladesh or India through proper "travel documents", according to a letter exchanged by the two countries.

The passage "will be arranged by the respective governments take place by November 30, 2015".

India and Bangladesh have also outlined the modalities of a complex process of settlement of immovable property. The dwellers, who are hoping to move from one enclave to another country as proper citizen for the first time since Independence, will have to provide "details of the records and specifications of immovable property" to the local district administration.

The details will be posted in the public domain by the administrations and the governments will "facilitate remittance of sales proceeds" of the property.