In a fresh twist in the ongoing NRC issue, the Assam government has opted to file a fresh affidavit in the Supreme Court seeking inclusion of the remaining five documents as a proof of citizenship.
Assam Chief Minister’s legal advisor Shantanu Bharali said that the state government would again file affidavit in the Supreme Court. He said this after attending a power point presentation made by NRC coordinator Prateek Hajela in New Delhi on Saturday.
“Today it was a technical discussion over NRC. It was done as advised by the Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi…we will again file an affidavit in the court for inclusion of the remaining five documents that was excluded earlier,” Bharali said.
Earlier both Dispur and New Delhi had supported 15 documents as testimonies of citizenship. But later Dispur supported Hajela’s stand of omitting five documents.
According to the political observers, keeping in mind the hue and cry that was erupted after omission of five documents, Dispur has again initiated the move to include the five documents.
Earlier, NRC coordinator Hajela in his 175 pages report submitted to the apex court had suggested omission of five documents.
The five documents, Hajela has been demanding to exclude are NRC of 1951, electoral rolls up to March 24, 1971, citizenship certificate and refugee registration certificate, certified copies of pre-1971 electoral rolls, particularly, those issued by the state of Tripura and ration cards issued prior to March 24, 1971, which is the cut-off date fixed by the Assam Accord for detection and deportation of illegal migrants from the state.
All the stakeholders in the NRC case have been asked to submit their suggestions by October 31. The court is likely to take up the case on November 1.