NRC: Biometric Collection Fails To Keep Pace With Hearing Process

GUWAHATI: The important process of the biometric collection with reference to the National Register of Citizens (NRC) is reportedly failing to keep pace with the ongoing hearing process. Till the mid part of May, only 50 percent of biometric collection of the total 19 lakh hearing cases has been completed thereby raising doubts as to whether it would be possible to be completed before July 31 when the final NRC would be published following the completion of the hearing process on claims and objections.

As per official data, only nine lakh biometric samples have been collected till the middle part of May. The lowest collection of just 20 percent has been reported from Cachar district followed by Kamrup and Barpeta districts (30%), and Kamrup-M (40%).

It has been learnt that this slow pace of biometric collection is primarily due to the failure of some firms allotted with the task of biometric collection to give the regular remuneration to their operators. In fact, in some instances the operators had to go on strike over the irregular release of their remunerations.

Meanwhile, the Home and Political Department of the Assam Government has already directed the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) to ensure that the entire process of biometric collection is completed within the stipulated time. The DCs have also been allowed to recruit additional manpower for the purpose.

Following the approval by the Supreme Court, the Assam Government moved to collect biometric samples of the people who had applied for inclusion of their names in the NRC (National Register of Citizens) and also those against whose names objections were raised. This has been done to keep track of these people and to also ensure that a database is ready with Dispur of such applicants.

The Home and Political Department has already been notified as the ‘State Registrar’ in this regard while the Deputy Commissioner has been notified as the ‘Enrollment Agency’. Dispur has made separate budgetary provisions for carrying out the biometric sample collection process for updating the NRC.

The biometric sample is information or computer data obtained from a biometric sensor device. Biometric verification is any means by which a person can be uniquely identified by evaluating one or more distinguishing biological traits. Unique identifiers include fingerprints, hand geometry, earlobe geometry, retina and iris patterns, voice waves, DNA, and signatures.

Altogether 36.2 lakh people (whose names have not appeared in the complete draft NRC) have applied for inclusion of their names in the complete NRC while objections have been raised against the inclusion of 2lakh people (whose names have appeared in the final draft NRC).

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