Withdraw Coercive NRC Clause: Assam Government

PLEA TO CENTRE

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, Aug 13: With an aim to ensure publication of a Bangladeshi-free National Register of Citizens (NRC), the Assam Government has moved the Centre to withdraw the provision of imposing penalty and imprisonment in case a person fails to substantiate his objection against another person’s eligibility to be enrolled in the complete draft NRC.

It may be mentioned that the entire updating process of the NRC has been carried out as per the clauses and provisions of ‘The Citizenship Act, 1955’, and ‘The Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity cards) Rules, 2003’. According to the Citizenship Act, 1955, if anybody records false information against any other person purported to be a foreigner, then the applicant is liable to be fined and even imprisoned as per law. In the ongoing NRC update process one can file an objection against another person if he or she finds the latter to be ineligible for inclusion in the complete draft NRC published on July 30.

On Sunday, Dispur decided to move the Central Government for reviewing and relaxing a portion of the objection exercise for exclusion of names in the final NRC. The decision to this effect was taken at the meeting of State Council of Ministers on the crucial Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).

The Sunday’s meeting of the council of ministers apprehended that the rate of objections would come down significantly in case the provision of imposing penalty and imprisonment is not withdrawn. In other words, Dispur wants that the onus of proving someone’s ineligibility to be included in the NRC must be put on the person filing an objection. This move would go a long way in making the final NRC error free to a great extent, feels the Council of Ministers in its recommendation to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

Sources said the Centre will have to take legal consultations before taking a call on Dispur’s plea since the provision of imposing penalty and imprisonment comes under the Citizenship Act, 1955.

The SOP is meant to go into aspects of disposal of claims and objections. The RGI and the MHA are exploring several options to provide adequate opportunity to 40 lakh of the 3.29 crore applicants whose names were not included in the final NRC draft published last month. Presently, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Registrar General of India (RGI) are preparing the SOP.The Supreme Court had earlier asked the Centre to submit the SOP within August 15, the next date of hearing of the NRC case on August 16. After examining the SOP to be submitted by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) the apex court will give its opinion.

As many as 3,29,91,384 people had applied for inclusion of names in the NRC and the applications of 2,89,83,677 were accepted. Names of the remaining 40,007,707 applicants did not figure in the list.

It needs mentioning that the CPI (M) even wants the provision of DNA test in the SOP of NRC. According to the left party this must be used as the last resort to establish linkage of a person with the family members. NRC process requires establishing linkages with the forefathers.