NEW DELHI, June 11 – The Assam Congress Legislature Party on Monday sought President Ram Nath Kovind’s intervention for rectification of anomalies in the ongoing updating exercise of the National Register of Citizens (NRC). A delegation of the Legislature Party led by the Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia and accompanied by former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today called on the President and suggested certain steps to safeguard the interests of genuine Indian citizens.

The 15-member delegation that also included APCC president Ripun Bora and Mahila Congress president Sushmita Dev, cited examples such as the State NRC authority’s decision to reject certificates of family linkage issued by Panchayat secretaries, which was later overturned by the Supreme Court.

Other instances pointed out by the Congress delegation included attempt to link the NRC process with proceedings in the Foreigners’ Tribunal. A list has been sent to various NRC Seva Kendra officials specifying names for non-inclusion in the final draft of the NRC, non-publication of successive voters lists of the pre-1971 period barring those pertaining to 1965, 1966, 1970 and 1971.

The delegation requested the President to ensure initiation of steps like provision of legal aid during the appellate process to impoverished and illiterate people whose names might be omitted from the final draft of the NRC, setting up of special committees at each NRC Seva Kendra or police station area, which would comprise elected Panchayat-level representatives of all political parties along with retired bureaucrats, besides strict adherence to the approved modalities, standard operating procedure of the NRC update process.

The delegation also suggested taking recourse to DNA tests in cases where one or two members of an extended family are declared as foreigners. It is also scheduled to meet the Register General of India and the Census Commissioner of India, besides the Home Minister.

News Source Assam Tribune