Assam NRC final list 2019 Over 19 lakh excluded, 3.11 crore included in list

GUWAHATI, Aug 31
The final list of the updated National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam left out over 19 lakh people, almost half of the 40 lakh people excluded in the final draft published last year. Out of 3,30,27,661 applicants, a total of 3,11,21,004 persons were found eligible for inclusion in the final NRC.
“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 numbers of persons are found eligible for inclusion in final NRC leaving out 19,06,657 numbers of persons including those who did not submit claims,” Prateek Hajela, state coordinator of the National Regis- ter of Citizens (NRC), said.
Today’s publication is a “Supplementary Inclusions List” which provides the names of those included into the NRC after they had filed “claims” against their exclusion in the final draft published on July 30 last year or excluded in the additional draft exclusions list published on June 26, 2019 or those who were in the final draft but had “objections” filed against their names or those who were included in the final draft but called for hearing from July 5, 2019 onwards.
Prateek Hajela said the entire process of NRC update had been meticulously carried out in an objective and transparent manner and statutory provisions and due procedure were followed at every stage.
“The process of receipt of NRC application forms started during the end of May 2015 and ended on August 31, 2015. A total of 3,30,27,661 members applied through 68,37,660 applications. The particulars submitted by the applicants were taken up for scrutiny to determine the eligibility of their inclusion in NRC. The exercise of NRC update is a mammoth exercise involving around 52,000 State Government officials working for a prolonged period,” Hajela said.
“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,” he said.
Those excluded can approach a Foreigners Tribu- nal with a certified copy of the rejection order from the NRC, along with the grounds for appeal. The Tribunal has to give its final order within 120 days from the date of production of records, the Home Ministry stated in an order dated May 30 this year.
In addition to the 100 Foreigners Tribunals, 200 more will be functional by September 1, State Government officials said. If the applicant loses their case before such a Tribunal, he or she can appeal in the High Court, and then the Supreme Court if necessary. Someone who is not only excluded from the final NRC but also loses his or her case in a Foreigners Tribunal, however, faces possible arrest, and the prospect of being sent to a detention centre.
The final draft NRC, published in July last year, included 2.89 crore applicants and left out over 40 lakh people. Over 36 lakh of those left out, had filed “claims” against the exclusion. Of the 2.89 crore included, objections were filed against around 2 lakh people. In the draft exclusion list of June 26 this year, 1.02 lakh of the 2.89 crore were excluded, who were all given a chance to appeal their cases.
The NRC sets the cut-off date to be a legal Indian citizen as March 24, 1971 — a date formalised by the Assam Accord, which was signed by the All Assam Students Union, Assam Government and Central Government in 1985.
The NRC was first prepared in 1951, and the current exercise was an update. The final NRC includes names of people already in the 1951 NRC and their descendants. It also includes those in any of the electoral rolls up to March 24, 1971, or in any one of other admissible documents issued up to that date, as well as the descendants of such people.
The preparation of the draft exclusion list of the NRC was approved by the SC under Clause 5 of the Schedule of the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003. Courtesy The Indian Express