India, Dec. 18 -- The Gauhati high court on Thursday issued notice to the Assam government on a petition seeking disqualiication of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Bijoy Malakar, 45, on the ground that he was not an Indian citizen.

Justice Kardak Ete issued notice to the government and the Election Commission on Malakar's election from the Ratabari (SC) assembly constituency in Sribhumi district. The petitioners, Braja Gopal Sinha and Bijoy Kumar Kanu, both residents of Sribhumi district, alleged that Bijoy Malakar's parents entered Assam after the cut-off date of March 25, 1971, and were disqualified from acquiring Indian citizenship under existing constitutional and legal provisions.

The MLA rejected the charge. Malakar told H...