Options For People Not Included In NRC (National Register of Citizens)

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: With just three days left for publication of the final NRC (National Register of Citizens), “the State government has designated as of now 56 of the existing 100 Foreigners Tribunals (FTs) to receive the appeals of people whose names would be left out of the final NRC”, stated a source in the Home and Political Department. These designated FTs, set up in 33 districts and subdivisions, will forward the appeals to the 200 Additional FTs; and while doing so care would be taken to ensure that the nearest FT is referred to.

These 200 Additional FTs (of the sanctioned Additional 400 FTs) will become operational (in the first phase) in the six district headquarters of Guwahati, Jorhat, Silchar, Nagaon, Bongaigaon, and Tezpur from September.

The final opinions on the appeals will be delivered only by the 200 Additional FTs. These Additional FTs will deliver their opinions (judgements) as to whether an individual is a foreigner or Indian only after thoroughly checking the relevant documents and initiating proper hearing of each individual case.

According to the latest amendment to the Foreigners Tribunal (Amendment) Order, 2019, the Ministry of Home Affairs has extended the appeal time to 120 days from the date of publication of the final NRC on August 31. The earlier appeal time was 60 days. The appeals to the 200 Additional FTs can be made by both the administration as well as the concerned individuals.

As per the relevant legislation, a person is not a foreigner just because his/her name does not figure in the final NRC. However, he/she will be considered a foreigner only after the FT declares him or her to be a foreigner.

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