NRC Assam: Fresh Dates for Absence on Genuine Grounds

Need-based NRC hearing at short notices

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: The need-based NRC hearing (re-verification) set in motion on Monday, and will continue till Wednesday. There are allegations and resentment as well among a section that people have been summoned at very short notices from one end of the State to the other. Served with such a short notice, a family from Selesuti Gaon near Sontoli in Kamrup district bound for Golaghat met with an accident at Eighth Mile near Ganesh Mandir at Khanapara in Guwahati on Sunday night. They missed the date of hearing. A large number of people from lower Assam districts had to take part in NRC hearing in upper Assam districts at short notices on Monday.

According to sources, those who missed their dates of the need-based bearing because of genuine grounds would be given fresh dates for the hearing. After the three-day need-based hearing, there will be a very limited hearing in applicants’ nearest hearing centers. Those who have missed the dates of hearing for genuine grounds will be heard in that limited hearing. There has been a standing approval from the Supreme Court of India that the NRC authority can summon anybody for hearing if it feels necessary till the publication of the final NRC.

The final NRC will be published on August 31. State NRC Coordinator Prateek Hajela did seek a month extension of the last date for the publication of the final NRC because of floods and in the interest of an error-free NRC.

Also Read: NRC Assam: Thousands of re-verification notices issued asking to appear in next 24 hours