"Be Brave And Follow The Law, Final NRC List Shall Be Ready By July 31":SC Tells Assam NRC Coordinator

The Supreme Court on Wednesday reiterated that the final NRC for the state of Assam be readied by July 31, regardless of the failure of the objectors to pursue their objections against those whose names have been included in the draft NRC published in July last year.

"Be brave and follow the law". The NRC must come by July 31, maybe a day sooner but not even one day after, SC told the coordinator

The Assam State Coordinator Prateek Hajela submitted before a bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Rohinton Nariman that while the adjudication of the objections against exclusion from the NRC has already commenced, the claimants have failed to appear in most cases.

Observing that the law shall take its course in respect of those who do not show up in support of their claim to the NRC, the bench noted that fair discretion in accordance with the law may be applied in determining the fate of those conspicuous by their absence.

The State Coordinator was also granted liberty to make a mention before the Registrar for an urgent hearing during the summer vacations should the need arise.

Earlier, in February also the Court had talked tough to the Centre, rejecting its prayer to allow withdrawal of combined armed police forces involved in Assam NRC work for election duty during the Lok Sabha polls, making it clear that the July 31 deadline for the completion of NRC exercise will not be extended.

AG K. K. Venugopal had said that carrying out NRC work during election time will be difficult. The elections are likely to be held in highly surcharged atmosphere, and any compromise on law and order cannot be afforded, he had advanced on that occasion. But the bench of CJI Gogoi and Justice Nariman did not relent. "NRC work requires only 167 companies of forces, out of 3000 combined armed police force companies. You need 2700 companies for LS polls. So what is the problem", the CJI has asked.

Without acceding to the request, the bench had come down heavily on the Centre by observing "the Ministry of Home Affairs have been making efforts from the very beginning to destroy NRC process".