Citizens' Forum submits a set of suggestions to NRC coordinator

Special Correspondent

Silchar: Proactive Senior Citizens' Forum (PSCF) of this town in a letter to Prateek Hajela, state coordinator, NRC, submitted through the Deputy Commissioner of Cachar on Tuesday has advanced some suggestions in regard to the operating system for scrutiny of applications, hearing and recording of bio metric data of re-applicants for inclusion in the NRC. In this regard, the state coordinator is going to submit his report to the Supreme Court of India. One of the suggestions is about the senior citizens, physically and mentally weak, impaired persons, people under regular medical care, pregnant women and cancer patients whom, the Forum pleads, should be exempted from personal appearance and bio metric recording at verification centres on humanitarian ground.

However, visits by verification officers with prior intimation to homes and hospitals are welcome. Another suggestion is that many re-applicants are not literate and formally educated. In order to enable such persons to record their statements at verification centres should be allowed to appear with educated persons, social activists, paralegal assistants or lawyers. While making verifications, the Indian Evidence Act should be respected and followed. Moreover, verification centres should be within the easy reach of the re-applicants and not beyond the respective development block offices, considering the financial and conveyance constraints.

The Forum has at the same time suggested prior notices should be served to the applicants to ensure sufficient scope for hearing and verification. In case of valid reasons and grounds, suitable dates may be re-fixed to ensure the hearing of the applicants. Many applicants could not attach adequate papers due to non availability of documents. Many seva kendras did not accept important documents like pension papers of employees or ex servicemen at the time of submission of applications. For the sake of justice, such applicants should be allowed to submit additional documents and evidences during hearing. Dilip Kumar Dey, general secretary of the Forum said all these suggestions are put forward within the ambit of law and Constitutional framework and he is hopeful these will be favourably considered by Prateek Hajela. A copy of the representation has been forwarded to the Registrar General of India, New Delhi.

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