The Government of Assam, on the 31st of August, released the final National Register of Citizens (NRC) list in the State.
According to sources, out of the 3.30 crore applicants, 3.11 crore were named in the NRC list and 19 lakh people were excluded from it.
The NRC officials released a press statement which read, “Taking into account all the persons already included and after disposal of all Claims and Objections and proceedings under Clause 4(3), it has been found that a total of 3,11,21,004 number of persons are found eligible for inclusion in final NRC leaving out 19,06,657 number of persons including those who did not submit claims.”
The Government organised approximately 2,500 NRC Seva Kendras (NSKs) across Assam for people without internet facility to check their status in the list.
The applicants can check their status at these NSKs from 10:00 A.M., to 4:00 P.M. Apart from this, one can visit the official website of the NRC, www.nrcassam.nic.in, as well to check their status.
The NRC press release also read, “The exercise of NRC update is a mammoth exercise involving around 52,000 State Government officials working for a prolonged period. All decisions of inclusion and exclusion are taken by these statutory officers. The entire process of NRC update has been meticulously carried out in an objective and transparent manner. Adequate opportunity of being heard has been given to all persons at every stage of the process. The entire process is conducted as per statutory provisions and due procedure followed at every stage.”
Sarbananda Sonowal, the Chief Minister of Assam, said individuals whose names are not in the list will not be declared illegal immigrants from Bangladesh until the legal proceedings are done.
Mr. Sonowal said, “Government of Assam will take care of the cause of the excluded people and due care will be taken so that nobody is subjected to any unnecessary harassment.”
The NRC list is a way to identify the national residents of Assam and those who illegally migrated from Bangladesh and are residing in the State.
The 19 lakh applicants who were excluded can take the help of the Foreigners’ Tribunals (FTs) within 120 days. If the FTs also refuse to include them in the list, they can move the High Court.
Apart from the FTs, the Indian National Congress (INC,) the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and organisations such as the All India United Democratic Front and the All Assam Students Union (AASU) gave assurance of legal help to the left out applicants.
Since 2015, government officials are preparing the NRC list, under the supervision of the Supreme Court (SC.) The 2019 list was prepared according to the first such list, which was released in 1951. The final list includes the names of people who were in the 1951 list and their descendants. It also includes individuals who were named in the electoral list of 1971.
Stay tuned for further updates.
