GUWAHATI: The final draft list of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) is expected to be published on 30th July but the process is yet to be completed and still has a long way to go.
The budget for the entire NRC process is Rs 1,220 crores and on being asked how much of the fund has been utilised till date, state coordinator for NRC, Prateek Hajela said, “We are yet to work out how much has been spent.”
However, the budget is sanctioned till the final draft is published and after the final draft list is published a long exercise of claims and objection will have to be completed.
The union home ministry has advised the Assam government that no action should be initiated by the administration or the police based on the draft NRC that is to be published on July 30.
There is no question of referring the persons whose names do not figure in the draft NRC to the Foreigners’ Tribunals as people are entitled to file claims and objections and due opportunity has to be given to them before final publication is published, the union home ministry recently said. The state government has been asked to issue clear instructions in this regard to all administrative and police functionaries.
The first draft containing the names of 1.9 crore out of 3.29 crore applicants was published on December 31 last year. The second and final draft is scheduled to be published on July 30. From the first list, names of 1.5 lakh persons are expected to be dropped.
State coordinator for NRC, Prateek Hajela, talking to G Plus, had said that till the last moment it won’t be possible to reveal that names or figures of those applicants who will not be there in the list. He had said, “Passing percentage cannot be declared before the results of an examination are out.”
But according to the numbers of D (doubtful) voters (1,26,520), declared foreigners post 1971 (57,807), unregistered declared foreigners of 1966 to 1971 stream (15,468) and cases pending in foreigners’ tribunals (1,99,657), the figure comes to around 3,99,453 persons who are under the scanner and might not make it to the second or final draft NRC list. “It is likely that these people will be kept on hold,” said a source.
After the final list is published, the persons whose names do not figure in the final draft will not be harassed by the police as the police will not make any reference (that is, file a case).
The NRC authorities did not reveal how long it will take to complete the claims and objection process, but experts feel that it will take around six months.
With a record of postponing dates, it seems as though it will take a long time for the entire process to be completed.