Supreme Court refuses to grant an urgent hearing for the extension of NRC deadline

New Delhi: A petition for urgent hearing on the NRC issue of Assam filed by the Central and Assam government has been refused to be grant by the Supreme Court. The governments sought the urgent hearing seeking an extension of the July 31 deadline which was earlier set and ordered by the Apex court. As the NRC process is not nearing its final stage with much work left, the governments wanted to extend the date for finally completing the National Register for Citizens (NRC).

The Supreme Court bench comprised of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi along with Justices Deepak Gupta and Aniruddha Bose denied providing the grant. The bench said, "We will see. We will examine the petition."

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had made the petition in front of the SC and had submitted that it will not be possible to complete the NRC by July 31. However, the topmost court is also keeping a close look at the functioning of the NRC.

As the NRC aims at identifying the illegal immigrants coming to Assam and living in the state illegally, the SC is putting more stress at completing the NRC. Assam has been facing a severe issue of illegal influx for several years and it is to put an end to this threat of identity of the ethnic people of the state, the NRC Assam was implemented. The first draft NRC was published on July 30, 2018 omitting 40.7 lakh people from it. This had created a huge controversy and roar for such a massive number of people being left out in the draft. Now, as per the SC order, the final list of the NRC is set to be published on July 31 this year. But as the procedure has not been completed yet, the governments at the center and state are seeking an extension to the final date.

Also read: Assam Government Ready for Post-NRC