Assam NRC: Filing of claims to begin on September 25, says Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered resumption of filing of claims and objections by around 40 lakh people who were left out in the draft National Register of Citizens (NRC) of Assam.

A bench comprising Justices Ranjan Gogoi amd R F Nariman said that the process of receiving claims and objections by the people who have been left out will commence on September 25 and remain open for the next 60 days.

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“We are of the view that all that which we are required to do at this stage is to open the filing of claims and objections with regard to inclusion in the draft NRC published in July this year,” the bench said.

It also made clear that the second opportunity has been granted to the citizens keeping in mind the “magnitude” of the issue.

The bench, which has now posted the matter for hearing on October 23, has sought the view of Prateek Hajela, coordinator of Assam NRC, on stance of the central government with regard to applicability and non-applicability of certain documents for inclusion of names in the NRC.

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The first draft of the NRC for Assam was published on the intervening night of December 31 and January 1 in accordance with the top court’s direction. Names of 1.9 crore people out of the 3.29 crore applicants were incorporated then.

Assam, which had faced influx of people from Bangladesh since the early 20^th century, is the only state having an NRC which was first prepared in 1951.