70% of NRC objections, claims heard: Official

GUWAHATI: Almost 70% of the claims and objections filed on the draft National Register of Citizens (NRC) have already been heard, said an NRC official. He also clarified that there will be no hearing on Eid-ul-Fitr day on June 5, quelling rumours that hearings would be held on that day.

The official, who did not want to be named, told ET, “One major problem we are facing is that several objections are filed and persons who filed the objections have not appeared for hearing…in the absence of which, we had to do exparte hearing.” “Now, there is a rumour that NRC hearing is slated for EID day. However, there will be no such hearing on a public holiday. We have completed almost 70% of the hearings on the claims and objections. We will complete the process before the final publication of NRC on July 31 this year,” he said. “Several officers, engaged in Lok Sabha poll duties, have come back,” he said.

In July last year, the final draft of the NRC was published which did not include the names of around 40 lakh people. Around 36.28 lakh have claimed for inclusion and 2 lakh people have registered their objections. The ‘claims’ process relates to those who could not make it to the draft NRC while ‘objections’ refer to submissions of valid documents to be made by those who have already been included in the draft NRC. The Supreme Court, which monitors the NRC process, had recently asked the Assam State National Register of Citizens (NRC) Coordinator to ensure that those who have appealed against non-inclusion of names in the NRC must get a fair hearing, and due process should be followed.


A Vacation Bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Aniruddha Bose, which recently heard the NRC state co-coordinator, observed, “Do not cut short the process just because you have to meet the deadline of July 31.”