Officials at the helm of updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam said the rejection orders to be issued to those excluded from the list of citizens may be rechecked.
Around 1.9 million out of 33 million applicants were excluded from the final NRC draft published on August 31, 2019. Each of them was supposed to have been issued a rejection order spelling out the reasons for their exclusion.
According to the procedures framed under the supervision of the Supreme Court, a person would be entitled to a 120-day window to appeal for inclusion after receiving such an order at the Foreigners’ Tribunals in Assam.
Faulty orders
Hitesh Dev Sarma, the State Coordinator for the NRC, said some of the orders were found to be faulty. He said ensuring proper reasons for rejection was necessary for the exercise.
The process of issuing the rejection orders was to have started from March but has been delayed due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown. “The pandemic does not make it ideal for people to collect their rejection orders,” he said.
Authorities have been utilising the “break” to correct, update and sort the rejection orders.
Those involved with NRC-related issues said the acknowledgement of faulty rejection orders have cast a shadow of doubt on the exercise.
“It’s been more than nine months and those excluded have not been told why they have been left out. So incorrect orders would have been issued then [had the formality been completed on time]?” said Aman Wadud, an advocate who specialises in cases of people declared foreigners.
