GUWAHATI: NRC coordinator for Assam, Prateek Hajela has revealed that the decision on the eligibility of four categories comprising 2.48lakh persons have been kept on hold in the draft NRC.
“The four categories are D (Doubtful) voters, descendants of D voters, those persons whose references are pending at Foreigners Tribunals and the descendants of the persons whose references are pending at the Foreigners Tribunals,” Hajela told reporters at the office of the state coordinator, NRC, here on Monday morning.
Earlier, the complete draft of the updated National Register of Citizens was launched in Assam with 2, 89, 83,677 names included in it out of 3, 29, 91,384 applicants leaving 40, 07, 707 applicants out of it.
The NRC coordinator however abstained from divulging the reasons for the exclusion of the 40, 07,707 applicants in the draft, saying that the decision in this regard was taken to protect their privacy and that they would be intimated and informed personally.
Asked about the fate of non-applicants, Hajela said that the matter would be dealt with at the appropriate time. “Let us first conclude the NRC based on the number of applications received and devote our time and energy to complete the process,” he said.
Registrar General of India (RGI), Sailesh, who was present at the launch, said that the persons who have not found their names in the complete draft NRC have the legal right to apply again by filing claims from August 30, 2018 to September 28, 2018.
“There will be three types of forms for making claims, objections and corrections (in case of spellings of names or any particulars). Those applicants whose names have been rejected will be able to know the reasons for their non-inclusion by visiting the NSKs and enquiring from the local registrar,” he said.
The online version of the complete draft NRC was launched at the office of the state coordinator, NRC, at Bhangagarh here at 10.07am, marking a historic moment and a positive outcome to a process that started in 2013 in accordance with the order of the Supreme Court of India.
Prior to the launch, the state anthem, O mur apunar dex….(O my dear own land), was sung at the conference hall of the NRC office, which was packed with mediapersons and NRC officials.
A video conference with a few deputy commissioners was also held to take stock of the situation in the respective districts.
Union Home Secretary (N-E), Satyendra Garg, replying to a question on organisations or individuals making adverse comments against the process, said, “The central government has taken up all the matters with the concerned agencies against any reaction, mischief, adverse comments by anyone against the NRC exercise. They will be dealt with sternly,” Garg said.