Owaisi questions feasibility of NRC process

AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday questioned NRC process asking as to how a cut-off date for it will be decided without Supreme Court taking a decision on the constitutionality of section 6A of the Citizenship Act.

"NRC Assam costed over 1200 crores and imposed massive costs of life and livelihood on people of Assam. Imagine the human costs of a nationwide NRC. SC still has to determine the constitutionality of Section 6A of Citizenship Act, so what cut off date can they decide in its absence?" Owaisi said in a tweet.

Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, 1955 fixes March 25, 1971, as the cut-off date for granting citizenship to Bangladeshi migrants in Assam.

The final list of National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam was published with 19 lakh people not included in it as opposition parties said it has raised fears that a large number of Indian citizens have been excluded.

Prateek Hajela, the State Coordinator of NRC, had said that over three crore people were found eligible for inclusion in the final NRC.

"A total of 3,11,21,004 persons are found eligible for inclusion in final NRC, leaving out 19,06,657 persons, including those who did not submit their claims," Hajela had said in a statement.

He had said those who are not satisfied with the outcome of the claims can appeal before the Foreigners Tribunals.