The National Register of Citizens (NRC) authority has indicated at an erroneous updating exercise by asking the district heads in Assam to provide details of “ineligible persons” in the final list of citizens published on August 31, 2019.
On February 19, NRC State Coordinator Hitesh Dev Sarma wrote to the Deputy Commissioner (DC) and District Registrar of Citizen Registration of all the districts. The letter, a copy of which is in possession of The Hindu , sought the details within 24 hours.
Also read: APW moves SC for 100% reverification of NRC process in Assam
The NRC office did not respond to questions but a DC in southern Assam confirmed receiving the letter on Friday afternoon. Indigenous groups believe many illegal immigrants have made it to the NRC in the three Bengali-dominated southern Assam districts – Cachar, Hailakandi and Karimganj
Referring to the raising of the matter in a video conference on October 31 last, Mr Sarma wrote: “...it has come to the knowledge of the undersigned that after publication of final NRC on 31st August, 2019, few names of ineligible persons are found present in the final NRC…”
The ineligible persons were specified as DV (doubtful voters), DF (declared foreigners), PFT (cases pending in Foreigners’ Tribunal), DVD (descendants of DV), DFD and PFTD.
“A list of such persons has already been shared from your end... you are requested to share the details of such persons who are ineligible for inclusion in the NRC but whose names got included in the NRC in addition to the list shared earlier…,” the memo read.
The letter was issued a day after NGO Assam Public Works (APW) petitioned the Supreme Court for a total reverification of the NRC. The APW, whose 2009 case in the court led to the exercise of updating the NRC of 1951, claimed 80 lakh illegal immigrants were included in the updated list.
More than 19 lakh people out of 3.3 crore applicants were excluded from the final NRC published in August last. Those left out would have to appeal to the Foreigners’ Tribunals within 120 days of receiving a notice from the NRC authority.
The process of issuing notices has not yet begun.
