Stage set for release of Assam's final NRC draft today

Guwahati: Nearly 1.5 crore people are on tenterhooks in Assam over their citizenship status as the government prepares to release the final list of Indian citizens living in the state on Monday. The National Registry of Citizens was envisaged given illegal migration into the state from neighbouring Bangladesh. But many complained that they were left out of the list despite submitting sufficient proof.

The NRC will be released online and in all the NRC Sewa Kendras (NSK) across the state at 10 am (instead of noon as announced earlier), NRC State Coordinator Prateek Hajela said here on Sunday.

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

Security has been beefed up across the state to prevent any law and order situation following the publication of the draft, with deputy commissioners and SPs being directed to maintain a strict vigil, a senior police official said here.

A prohibitory order under Section 144 of CrPC has been imposed in seven districts- Barpeta, Darrang, Dima Hasao, Sonitpur, Karimganj, Golaghat and Dhubri.

The situation is being monitored closely to prevent any untoward incident, particularly those arising due to rumour-mongering, the official said.

The Centre has despatched 220 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces to gear up security in Assam and neighbouring states.

Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal had held a high-level meeting recently on the NRC draft release and directed the officers to remain alert and help and explain the process of claims and objections to people whose names do not appear in the draft.

Sonowal had also directed the officials not to refer any case to the Foreigners' Tribunal based on the NRC draft list.

Hajela pointed out that there would be enough scope for claims by people whose names do not appear in the draft, adding "genuine citizens should not panic if their names fail to figure in the document".

Early this month, NRC authorities have disclosed that 1.5 lakh people may be axed from the first list since discrepancies were found in their documents.

To help identify declared foreign nationals, the National Register of Citizens is also preparing a shared database of citizens.