Final NRC list for Assam released, excludes 19.07 lakh applicants

The much-awaited updated Final National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam was released on Saturday, excluding names of over 19 lakh applicants. A total of 3,30,27,661 people had applied to be included in the NRC. Of them, 3,11,21,004 have been included in the document and 19,06,657 excluded, a statement from the NRC State Coordinator’s office said here.

The status of both inclusion and exclusion can be viewed online in the NRC website, www.nrcassam.nic.in. The hard copies of the Supplementary List of Inclusions are available for public viewing at the NRC Seva Kendras (NSK), offices of the deputy commissioner and offices of the Circle Officer during office hours, the statement added.

Any person who is not satisfied with the outcome can file appeal before the Foreigners Tribunals within 120 days.

Assam government has earlier said those left out of the NRC will not be detained under any circumstances until the Foreigners Tribunals declare them as foreigners.

Also Read: NRC left out many refugees from Bangladesh prior to 1971: Himanta

The names of 1.9 crore people were published as Part Draft NRC on the midnight of December 31, 2017. In July 30 last year, the Complete Draft was released excluding over 40 lakh of 2.9 crore people. An additional 1,02,462 people were excluded in June this year, taking the total ineligible persons to 41,10,169.

The process of NRC updation started in the state following an order of the Supreme Court in 2013. Since then, the Apex Court has been closely monitoring the entire process.

Assam, which has faced an influx of people from Bangladesh since the early 20th century, is the only state having an NRC which was first prepared in 1951.

It is for the first time since then that the NRC was updated.

Unhappy with exclusion figure, AASU to move SC

The All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) said it is not happy with the exclusion figure in the final National Register of Citizens (NRC) which was released on Saturday (August 31), and will appeal against it in the Supreme Court.

The AASU is a signatory to the Assam Accord, a 1985 document that provided for “detection, deletion and deportation” of illegal foreigners from Assam.

“We are not happy at all. It seems there were some deficiencies in the updatation process. We believe that it is an incomplete NRC. We will appeal to the Supreme Court to remove all the faults and discrepancies in this NRC,” AASU General Secretary Lurinjyoti Gogoi said.

NRC Timeline

Following is the timeline of the immigration issue in Assam since Independence to the publication of the final National Register of Citizens (NRC) on Saturday.

1950: Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act comes into force following influx of refugees from then East Pakistan to Assam after partition.

1951: First Census of Independent India conducted. Based on Census, first NRC compiled.

1957: Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act repealed.

1964-1965: Influx of refugees from East Pakistan due to disturbances in that country.

1971: Fresh influx due to riot and war in East Pakistan. Independence Bangladesh comes into existence.

1979-1985: Six-year-long Assam agitation, spearheaded by the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) and All Assam Gana Sangram Parishad (AAGSP) for detection, disenfranchisement and deportation of foreigners.

1983: Massacre at Nellie in Central Assam which claimed the lives of over 3,000 people. Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunals) (IMDT) Act passed.

1985: Assam Accord signed by the Centre, the state, AASU and AAGSP in the presence of then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. It stated, among other clauses, that foreigners who came to Assam on or after March 25, 1971 shall be expelled.

1997: Election Commission decides to add ‘D’ (doubtful) against names of voters whose claim to Indian citizenship is doubtful.

2005: Supreme Court strikes down IMDT Act as unconstitutional. Tripartite meeting among Centre, state government and AASU decides to update 1951 NRC. But no major development takes place.

2009: Assam Public Works (APW), an NGO, files case in Supreme Court praying for deletion of foreigners’s name in electoral rolls and updation of NRC.

2010: Pilot project starts in Chaygaon, Barpeta to update NRC. Project successful in Chaygaon. Four killed in violence in Barpeta. Project shelved.

2013: Supreme Court takes up APW petition, directs Centre, state to begin the process for updating NRC. NRC State Coordinator’s office set up.

2015: Updation of NRC process begins.

2017: On December 31 midnight, Draft NRC published with names of 1.9 crore of total 3.29 crore applicants.

July 30, 2018: Another Draft NRC published, 40 lakh of 2.9 crore people excluded.

June 26, 2019: Publication of Additional Draft Exclusion List of 1,02,462 released.

August 31, 2019: Final NRC released.