#AssamNRC: SC extends deadline for claims, objections to December 31
On Wednesday, the Supreme Court extended the deadline for filing claims and objections pertaining to the Assam National Register of Citizens (NRC) till December 31. The SC's decision came on the back of an appeal by the Assam government on Monday wherein the state government had asked the apex court to extend the deadline by a month's time. Here's more.
Earlier, the deadline had been set for December 15
In an earlier order dated November 1, the apex court had allowed the 40 lakh excluded people to file for claims and objections using five additional identity proofs. The deadline for such filings had been set for December 15. Officials, meanwhile, had warned that those not included in the final NRC list would face disenfranchisement as the first possible step against them.
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee had sharply criticized the NRC
Following the publication of the NRC on July 30, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged that the NRC was an "attempt to evict Bengalis from Assam". She added that it could lead to a "bloodbath" as Indians were being made "refugees" on home soil.
First time the NRC has been updated since 1951
After months of delay, the Assam government published an updated version of its NRC on July 30, listing 2.9cr people as recognized citizens. Around 40 lakh people were excluded from the list. The publication of the list marked the first time the NRC in Assam had been updated since 1951, when it was prepared to weed out illegal Bangladeshi immigrants.
The process for filing claims, objections began on September 25
After heated political debate and controversy over the exclusion, the SC, in a directive, allowed people to file claims and objections to the draft NRC, starting September 25. The SC had also finalized a standard operation procedure (SOP) for disposal of claims and objections pertaining to the updation of the NRC. Claims and objections could be filed on the basis of 10 specified documents.
Which documents are needed to file claims or objections
The 10 documents included land documents, permanent residence certificates, passport, LIC policy, any government-issued license or certificate, documents showing employment in the public sector, bank or post office accounts, birth certificates, educational certificates, and records/processes related to courts. On November 1, the 1951 NRC, electoral roll up to March 24, 1971, citizenship certificate, refugee registration certificate, and ration card were added to recognized documents.
Fate of people who can't prove citizenship rests with SC
As of December 9, only 10 lakh of the 40 lakh excluded people had filed for inclusion in the NRC. While those excluded from the final list could be disenfranchised, their final fate rests in the hands of the Supreme Court.
