Guwahati, July 30 (IANS) The first complete draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC), comprising names of 2,89,83,677 people of Assam, was published on Monday.
Releasing the document online at the state NRC headquarters here, Registrar General of India, Sailesh said that a total of 3,29,91,384 people had applied for inclusion of their names in the document, but 40,07,707 had been left out due to some discrepancies in their documents.
“This is a draft NRC and not the final NRC. All genuine Indian citizens whose names did not figure in the NRC will get ample opportunities to enter their names in the final NRC,” Sailesh said, terming the day “historic”.
“It’s a historic day for Assam and India as a whole. Today we have achieved a milestone of publishing the first complete draft NRC.
“The scale, size and complexity of the whole exercise are unparalleled. The process has been transparent, clear and meticulously executed with involvement of over 52,000 government officials over a period of three years,” he said.
Assam State Coordinator for NRC, Pratik Hajela said that all those whose name did not figure in the document need not worry as there is a laid down procedures for claims and objections, which will start from August 30.
“Whoever, wishes to file a claim for inclusion of their names in the NRC can approach the NRC Seva Kendras and file claim from August 30.
“We will start distribution of claims and objection and correction forms from August 7. The process of filing of the claims, objection and corrections will continue til September 28,” Hajela said.
There would also be assistance for those who need assistance in filing the claims and objections, he added.
Hajela said that the 40,07,707 people whose name did not figure in the NRC will be intimated through separate letters about the discrepancies and there will be opportunities for them to correct the same.
“Details of these 40,07,707 (people) will not be disclosed as we have to respect their privacy.
“Out of them, there are 2.48 lakh people whose cases are pending before different Foreigners’ Tribunals,” he said adding that the status quo of these people — whose name did not figure in the NRC — will remain as “applicant” and not as “Indian” or “non-Indian”.
Satyen Garg, Joint Secretary, Northeast, in the Union Home Ministry, reiterated that the none of the persons, whose name did not figure in the NRC, will be taken to the detention camps or Foreigners’ Tribunals.
Sufficient opportunity will be given to those persons to include their names in the final NRC, he assured.
The Assam government has intensified security arrangements across the state following apprehensions that there might be trouble after publication of the NRC.
The Central government had already sent over 200 companies of security forces to assist the state police in handling the situation.
The Assam government had started the process of updating the NRC on December 2013. On December 31, 2017, the Assam government had released the first draft of the NRC which included the names of 1.90 crore people.