New Delhi, July 21: The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notices to the Central government and the Assam state administration, along with other respondents, regarding the long-delayed appeal process for nearly 19 lakh individuals excluded from the final National Register of Citizens (NRC) published in Assam in 2019. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M. Pancholi was hearing a petition filed by the Assam State Jamiat Ulama.
During the proceedings, counsel representing the petitioner highlighted the precarious situation of those left out of the NRC, emphasizing that they remain in a state of uncertainty as the statutory mechanism for filing appeals has yet to be activated. The court was informed that despite provisions for challenging exclusions, no concrete steps have been taken to initiate this crucial process, causing continued distress for the affected population.
Acknowledging the gravity of the submissions, the Supreme Court bench directed the Centre, the Assam government, and the Office of the State NRC Coordinator to provide their responses. The court further decided to tag this matter with another pending petition that addresses similar concerns related to the NRC appeal process, underscoring the urgency and complexity of the issue.
The final NRC, published over four years ago, aimed to identify genuine Indian citizens in Assam, a state with a history of migration issues. However, the subsequent delay in operationalizing the stipulated appeal mechanism has left a significant portion of the population without a clear path forward, raising questions about their future status and rights. The Supreme Court's intervention marks a critical step towards resolving this prolonged administrative impasse.
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