Guwahati: In a recent update on the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam, the authorities have laid off 157 employees who were hired on a contract basis.
The decision came after NRC Coordinator Partha Pratim Mazumder opted to replace the departing staff with new hires.
The affected employees have been instructed to return all belongings and documents to the authorities by June 29, 2023.
The termination of these contract employees has prompted a response from the Circle Project Supervisors, with each supervisor filing a petition in the Gauhati High Court regarding the matter.
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The court will now examine the case and evaluate the claims made by the terminated supervisors.
The NRC has been marred by allegations of involvement in a scam. The former commissioner, Prateek Hajela had earlier faced a case related to his alleged connection with the NRC updation scam in Assam.
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Adding to the controversy, Luit Kumar Barman, a well-known Assamese businessman, filmmaker, and active social media user, filed a lawsuit against the former State Coordinator of the NRC, Wipro Limited, and Integrated System and Services (ISS), represented by owner Utpal Hazarika.
The lawsuit alleges their involvement in a money laundering scheme amounting to Rs 155 crores between May 2014 and October 2019, during the NRC Assam update process.