Assam electoral officer to liaise with NRC coordinators

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has asked Assam chief electoral officer to coordinate with National Register of Citizens (NRC) coordinators to prepare a roadmap so that summary revision of electoral rolls is completed by January 4, 2019.

Chief Election Commissioner OP Rawat told ANI that the poll body does not want eligible voters to be left out of the electoral roll.

"We have asked state (Assam), chief electoral officers, to coordinate with state NRC coordinators to prepare a roadmap so that summary revision of electoral rolls is completed by January 4, 2019. We do not want eligible voters being left out of the electoral roll," Rawat said.

"From August 30, people whose names are missing can file their objections and claims and then, they will be given chance for hearing in the court," he added.

The draft list, which was released on Monday, left out nearly 40 lakh people in Assam, incorporating names of 2.89 crore people out of 3.29 crore applicants. The list has been updated for the first time since 1951, to account for illegal migration from nearby Bangladesh.

The NRC draft features the names, addresses, and photographs of all Indian citizens, who have been residing in the northeastern state before March 25, 1971.