Seven months ago Beijing faced a barrage of criticism after it announced measures to 'maintain public security' that dictated migrants without temporary residence certificates must immediately move out of their rented rooms.

Discordant voices swept through the media, labeling the policy as discriminatory against migrants and a violation of their rights.

Ten lawyers from Central China's Henan Province have stepped forward to defend the migrants by submitting a letter to the People's Congress and the State Council, claiming the existing temporary residence permit system runs counter to China's laws and should be revoked, reported ce.cn on December 27.

The letter, which was made public after three-months of research and preparation, is another new incentive for Chinese legislators to abolish the controversial residential registry system that was introduced twenty years ago to prevent excessive influx to urban cities and guarantee a sound security order.

The crowd of voices calling for the elimination of the controversial system reached a climax after 27-year-old Sun Zhigang became a victim of the system in 2003.

On March 17 of that year Sun was wandering down a street in south China's Guangdong Province without his ID card or temporary residence certificate. His life changed forever after being stopped by local law enforcement officers. He spent his last three days at a local repatriation clinic.

On March 20, he died. An autopsy showed his body was covered in bruises.

His death marked the end of China's repatriation system and set in motion a nationwide backlash over the decades-old temporary residence permit system.

Lawyer Fan Honglie noted that rendering a temporary residence certificate to a migrant is a typical administrative licensing measure.

Fang said as a citizen of the People's Republic of China, A migrants should not be acquired a temporary residence certificate.

Under the system, a migrant is not allowed to permanently stay in a city.

The lawyers said it is inevitable that China's social economic development will produce a human flow among cities and result in the management of migrants.

The lawyers said that the central government should not hamper the human influx via administrative measures.

For China, 2003 was a turning point due to the issuance of the People's Republic of China Administrative Licensing Law. Several cities, led by the northern city of Shenyang repealed the system in July, 2003, but announced its revival in December, citing security reasons and complex management of migrants.

Local officials claimed their decision three years ago was hurried, adding management there are new problems in managing migrants, without elaboration.

The lawyers rebutted the officials' claims, saying strict enforcement on ID card management will solve the issue.

China has the Law of the People's Republic of China on Resident Identity Cards and the People's Republic of China Administrative Licensing Law, which can replace the outdated system, the lawyers said.

According to an online poll organized by sohu.com, more than 80 per cent of the 19, 497 respondents agreed with abolishing the system, while 11 per cent disagreed.