New Delhi, July 20 (IANS): The Centre, Assam government and the State Coordinator appointed for National Register for Citizens (NRC) in Assam, are apparently working in silos instead of sharing information.
As a consequence, the Centre and the Assam government have brought forth the issue of re-verification of draft NRC data.
This observation was made by the Supreme Court during a hearing on a plea by the Centre and Assam for 20 per cent re-verification of the draft NRC data to rule out discrepancies.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi orally voiced its scepticism on the contention for re-verification of the data. The Centre and Assam sought extension to cross-check "invalid inclusions and exclusions" in and from the draft NRC published on July 30, 2018.
They argued for 20 per cent sample re-verification of names included on the draft list in districts bordering Bangladesh and 10 per cent for the remaining districts.
This contention for re-verification has a major implication on the NRC proceeding and the issues, inclusion and exclusion of names, at stake affect a large number of people in Assam.
This issue was blown-up in an extensive debate pinned at the validity of data in the draft NRC.
The Chief Justice argued the reports filed by NRC Coordinator Prateek Hajela said re-verification was an integral part of the process, and it seems, it has already done during the disposal of claims in the NRC process.
"His (Hajela) report says while disposing of claims, 80 lakh names have been re-verified, which is tentatively 27 per cent names have been verified. You ask for 20 per cent and seek extension for the same... where is the requirement for this re-verification. If we are satisfied then what is the need for sample re-verification?" said the Chief Justice, who is at discretion to decide on the matter.
Delving further into this issue, the Chief Justice observed the absence of a channel to relay information between the government and the coordinator; therefore, the parties apparently appear on a different footing.
Though, the Solicitor General intended to buoy the argument by claiming India cannot afford to become capital of refugee in the world, and to avoid this, re-verification is mandatory.
"Apparently, there are more wrong inclusions on the list due to corrupt practices by lower level officers. Therefore, we need re-verification."
Mehta had argued vehemently, highlighting the gravity of the matter and indicating that maybe coordinator is not aware of the ground reality. Though, the court was not moved.
Instead, the Chief Justice recommended the government and coordinator to exchange reports on the matter and work in tandem.
The court also asked Hajela to redact paragraphs the reports, which do not strictly deal with re-verification before handing over to Mehta. Meanwhile, Hajela claimed his office can publish the supplementary lists on July 31, containing the latest inclusion and exclusion incorporated after the claims and objections stage, followed by a consolidated list within a month.
Except the Congress, all the local parties in Mizoram are demanding introduction of National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the Christian-dominated state which shares border with Bangladesh and Myanmar.
The ruling Mizo National Front (MNF), in its manifesto for the Assembly elections in November last year, had promised that it would initiate the exercise of NRC in the state on the lines of Assam.
The MNF is a constituent North East Democratic Alliance, a BJP-floated grouping of non-Congress parties.
The MNF pledge came in the wake of several non-governmental organisations in Mizoram demanding an NRC to detect illegal immigrants after Assam published the final draft of the NRC in July last year.
The NRC, first published in Assam in 1951, is being updated as per directions of the Supreme Court to segregate Indian citizens living in Assam from those who have illegally entered the state from Bangladesh after March 25, 1971.
On May 18, the Mizoram Assembly unanimously passed a bill to create a register of all households in the state.
While introducing the Mizoram Maintenance of Household Registers Bill, 2019, Chief Minister Zoramthanga said the bill was necessitated by "the influx of foreigners into Mizoram through its porous borders".
"In many cases the benefits of development and welfare programmes are found eaten away to a large extent by such foreigners," reads the bill's statement of objects and reasons, signed by the chief minister.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, while speaking on the NRC issue in Parliament last Tuesday, favoured such an exercise across the country.
The government would deport illegal immigrants from "every inch of the country's soil", Shah said in the House.
