Assam: NRC final draft out; 4 million applicants find their names missing

The much-anticipated second and final draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) was published today with 29 million names out of the total 32.9 million applicants in Assam, Registrar General of India Sailesh said here.

The names of 4 million applicants did not find a place in the historic document, touted to be a proof of Assamese identity.

The first draft of the NRC was published during the intervening night of December 31 and January 1 this year, containing 19 million names.

"This is a historic day for India and Assam. The exercise is unparalleled in size. It is a legal process done under the direct supervision of the Supreme Court," Sailesh said at a press conference.

The exercise was carried out in a transparent, fair, objective manner, he stated.

The NRC will include the names of all Indian citizens who have been residing in Assam before March 25, 1971.

Talking about people whose names did not appear in the final draft, Sailesh said, "The process for making claims and objections will begin on August 30 and continue till September 28. Adequate and ample scope will be given to people for making objections. No genuine Indian citizen should have any fear."

The application process for the NRC started in May 2015 and a total of 6.5 crore documents were received from 68.27 lakh families across Assam, he added.