SC wants response from Centre, Assam on Hajela not favouring allowing five left-out documents for inclusion in NRC

The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought response from the Centre and Assam government on the report by the State NRC coordinator Prateek Hajela not favouring permitting 40 lakh-odd left out to rely on five documents including ration card to assert their claim for inclusion in National Register of Citizens.

Seeking response from Centre, Assam and other stakeholders, the bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman declined, for now, the Centre's plea for extending time for filing claims for inclusion in NRC as since September 25 when the process started, only one lakh people filed the claims.

The top court on September 19 had ordered the commencement of submission of claims and objections on inclusion of names in Assam's National Register of Citizens (NRC) draft from September 25.

The court had ordered that the start of filing of claims and objections backed by 10 identity documents would last for 60 days from the date of commencement.

However, it kept out five identity documents that included extract of NRC of 1951; extract/certified copy of electoral rolls up to midnight of March 24, 1971; refugee registration certificate issued up to March 24, 1971; and ration cards issued by competent authority with official seal and signature up to March 24, 1971 (midnight).

The court had sought the views of Hajela on permitting their use as favoured by the Centre by in its September 17 affidavit and Assam.

Seeking response from the stakeholders on Hajela objecting to allowing the use of five identity documents for claiming inclusion in NRC, the court said, "He may be right or wrong."

He has told the court that relying on five documents would create problems.

Hajela submitted two reports-- one confidential in a sealed cover and the other in which he expressed his misgivings on permitting five identity document to rely upon for claiming inclusion in NRC.

--IANS

pk/prs