The People's Union for Civil Liberties – Tamil Nadu and Puduchery has condemned the alleged move of the State police to demand compulsory registration with the local police of all migrant labour and students hailing from other States.
In a statement issued here on Tuesday, PUCL president V. Suresh said the initiative taken in the name of combating crime was tantamount to ethnic profiling, which violated the right to ‘equality before law' and ‘equal protection of law'.
Moreover, Article 15 of the Constitution mandated that the ‘State shall not discriminate against citizen on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth or any of them', he said.
Such actions were also in violation of the fundamental right which entitled all citizens ‘to move freely throughout India' and ‘to reside and settle in any part of India'.
“The reasons put forth by the police demanding compulsory registration with the police is arbitrary, irrational and unacceptable. The directive is wholly unconstitutional…and sets a dangerous precedent,” Mr. Suresh added.
