SC Extends Assam NRC Deadline To Aug 31; Rejects Centre's Prayer For Re-Verification Of Inclusions [Read Order]

The Supreme Court on Tuesday extended the deadline for publication of final National Register of Citizens(NRC) for Assam from July 31 to August 31.

This was based on the request by the State NRC Coordinator Prateek Hajela. The NRC Coordinator had pointed out that the NRC process has hit a roadblock in view of the recent floods in Assam, and requested for extension. 

The bench of CJI Ranjan Gogoi and Justice R F Nariman however declined to accept the request made by the Centre for allowing re-verification of inclusions in the NRC.

Last Friday, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the governments of Centre and Assam, had submitted that a sample re-verification of at least 20% of the inclusions of persons residing in Assam districts bordering Bangladesh was necessary.

"Wrongful inclusions are manifold in the districts bordering Bangladesh", he had said.

However, the NRC State Coordinator Prateek Hajela had submitted that around 80 lakh people were subjected to re-verification, amounting to nearly 27% of the claims. In this backdrop, the bench had asked the Solicitor General if further re-verification was required.  

On Tuesday as well, the NRC Co-ordinator reiterated that re-verification was not necessary. Taking this into account, the CJI-led bench declined the request made by Centre and Assam.

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