
GUWAHATI: The plan of collecting biometric data in the ongoing hearing of NRC claims and objections has gone awry following delay in issuing the order by the departments concerned. So much so that biometric data collection is yet to pick up the pace.
The collection of biometric data of those attending NRC hearing centres for claims and objections is in accordance with the Supreme Court of India-approved SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) for NRC hearing. The mess has its roots with two departments – Home and Political and General Administration Department (GAD) – that have been at the helm of affairs for making all arrangements for biometric data collection. However, instead of setting up new biometric data collection centres, the two departments opted to make do with the existing biometric data collection centres meant for AADHAR enrollment. Everything would have gone smoothly had the two departments issued their order for shifting of biometric data collection centres of AADHAR to NRC hearing centres well ahead of time. The deputy commissioners received the order of shifting AADHAR’s biometric data collection centres to NRC hearing centres only on February 15 since when the hearing of claims and objections has been underway. Shifting of such centres is a time-taking exercise as it involves power, internet and a whole lot of other connections. The direct fallout of this delayed order for the shifting is that ‘even as the hearing of claims and objections officially started on February 15, NRC officials conducting the hearing couldn’t collect biometric data of persons they heard on that day because there was no centre to collect such data’. The process of total shifting of AADHAR’s biometric data collection centres to NRC hearing centres is to take more time, so is the collection of biometric data to pick up pace.
Meanwhile, the General Administration Department (GAD), under which AADHAR enrollment is underway, has already put on hold AADHAR enrollment works in the State.
Now the ground reality is that there are a number of people who have already been heard by NRC officials on their claims and objections, but without collecting their biometric data. It seems that they will have to be called for the collection of biometric data again.
The onus of collecting biometric data lies with Home and Political Department, not with the NRC authority.
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