‘NRC Rejection Orders’ to be issued in March, Chandra Mohan Patowary informs House

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The air of uncertainty was cleared over the issuance of ‘Rejection Orders’ to the persons found ineligible for entry in the final NRC (National Register of Citizens) on Monday with the State government informing the Assam Assembly that the State NRC authority is planning to issue the rejections orders from March 20, 2020. The final NRC was published on August 31, 2019.

This was reflected on the first day of the Budget session in the Assam Assembly on Monday during an answer given by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary on behalf of the Assam Accord Implementation Minister who is the Chief Minister himself. The query on the subject was raised by AGP MLA Ramendra Narayan Kalita.

The ‘Rejection Orders’ will contain the reasons for rejecting the names from the final NRC. The ineligible persons will have to approach the Foreigners Tribunal (FT) within 120 days after receiving the respective ‘Rejection Orders’. While issuing the respective ‘Rejection Orders’, the FTs will have to give their opinions as to whether the persons concerned are foreigners or Indian citizens. The FTs will further have to state whether an ineligible person will be eligible for inclusion in the final NRC.

Giving the reply, Minister Patowary told the House, “The present State government has been expediting the NRC updation work under the direct monitoring of the Supreme Court.

“Presently, about 12 per cent scanning of the ‘Speaking Orders’ is left. Once this process is completed, there is a plan to issue the rejection orders from March 20, 2020.”

He also said that “the government is not thinking of conducting any fresh NRC in the State.”

A ‘Speaking Order’ indicates the reason(s) for rejection of a person’s name in the final NRC. These ‘Orders’ are prepared by the ‘Disposing Officers’ at the ground level.

Replying to another question raised by Congress MLA Abul Kalam Rashid Alam, Minister Patowary elaborated, “So far, an amount of Rs 1,348.10 crore has been spent in the NRC updation exercise.”

Sources informed that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had recently directed the State Coordinator of NRC to issue the rejection orders as early as possible. The direction was issued during a meeting in New Delhi on February 22, 2020, where the Assam Chief Secretary and the State Coordinator of NRC were also present.

The State NRC authority found 19,06,657 persons ineligible for inclusion in the final NRC. Altogether 3,30,27,661 persons through 68,37,660 applications had applied for inclusion in the final NRC. In other words, 3,11,21,004 persons names were found eligible for inclusion in final national citizens’ register.

The process of NRC update was started in Assam as per order of the Supreme Court of India in 2013. The process of receipt of NRC application forms started during the end of May 2015 and ended on August 31, 2015.

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