Dispur to file fresh affidavit in Supreme Court for inclusion of five documents

NEW DELHI: The Assam government will file a fresh affidavit in the Supreme Court seeking inclusion of the remaining five documents as a proof of citizenship.

After attending a power point presentation made by NRC coordinator Prateek Hajela in New Delhi on Saturday, Assam Chief Minister’s legal advisor Shantanu Bharali said that the Government will again file affidavit in the Supreme Court.

“Today it was a technical discussion over NRC. It was done as advised by the Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi…we will again file an affidavit in the court for inclusion of the remaining five documents that was excluded earlier,” said Bharali.

Earlier both Dispur and New Delhi had supported 15 documents as testimony of citizenship.

According to political observers, keeping in mind the hue and cry that erupted after five documents were kept aside by the apex court following Hajela’s suggestion, Dispur has again initiated the move to include the five documents.

Earlier, NRC coordinator Hajela in his 175 pages report submitted to the apex court had suggested omission of five documents.

The five documents, Hajela has been demanding to exclude are names in the NRC of 1951, names in electoral rolls up to March 24, 1971, citizenship certificate and refugee registration certificate, certified copies of pre-1971 electoral rolls, particularly, those issued by the state of Tripura and ration cards issued prior to March 24, 1971, which is the cut-off date fixed by the Assam Accord for detection and deportation of illegal migrants from the state.

All the stakeholders in the NRC case have been asked to submit their suggestions by October 31. The court is likely to take up the case on November 1.

Saturday was the second consecutive day when Hajela presented a PPT on the NRC issue.

Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta, senior advocate Kapil Sibbal, Assam Chief Secretary Alok Kumar, legal advisor to Assam Chief Minister Shantanu Bharali, State Commissioner L S Changsan, Registrar General of India Sailesh among others were present in the two sittings.