Assam Chief Minister Sarma says government wants old NRC reviewed, new one to be made

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that government wants the National Register of Citizens (NRC) published two years back to reviewed and a new NRC must be done.

Talking to media persons on Sunday, Sarma said, " We have nothing new and sticking to earlier stand that NRC list must be reviewed and new one must be done. We are in talks with All Assam Students Union (Aasu). "

He added, " Even during election meetings last year we stated our stand. "


The Assam government has earlier moved the Supreme Court seeking re-verification of the NRC). AASU has also filed a petition in the Supreme Court in this regard.

The NRC is monitored by the Supreme court. The updation process of the NRC in Assam has been caught in a logjam two years after the publication of the supplementary list on August 31, 2019. Rejection slips are yet to be issued to those excluded –– who can move the Foreigners Tribunal (FT) to challenge the decision –– and the Registrar General of India (RGI) has not yet notified the NRC, officials aware of the matter told ET.

The supplementary NRC list had found more than 31.1 million people eligible to be included in the registry and left out over 1.9 million people.

In May last year NRC Coordinator Hitesh Dev Sarma filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking comprehensive and time bound re-verification of the draft NRC as well as the supplementary list. He also prayed for appropriate directions that the re-verification be done under the supervision of a monitoring committee in the respective districts and such committee may be preferably represented by the respective District Judge, District Magistrate & Superintendent of Police.

The only time the NRC was prepared was in 1951. Supreme court order stated that updated NRC shall consist of names of all Indian citizens, including their children and descendants, who may have moved to the state of Assam subsequent to 24th March, 1971 would be eligible for inclusion in the NRC on adducing satisfactory proof of residence in any part of the country (outside Assam) as on 24th March, 1971.

NRC updation exercise is as per the provisions of Assam Accord. As per Assam accord the date of detection and deportation of foreigners is March 25, 1971 irrespective of religious affiliation.

The BJP-led Assam government had earlier sought 20% sample re-verification of names included in the draft NRC in districts bordering Bangladesh and a 10% sample re-verification in the remaining districts. The Supreme Court had earlier rejected the re-verification plea.