NEW DELHI, March 3 � Despite pressure from Assam Government, the Centre has clarified that applications would be invited to establish citizenship status based on the National Register of Citizens 1951.
The Centre�s clarification comes in the backdrop of repeated pleas made by the Assam Government to further amend its notification by including the electoral rolls of 1971 following a hue and cry among the minority community in the State.
The Ministry of Home confirmed having amended the Citizenship (Citizens and issue of National Identity Cards) Rule, 2003 vide its notification on November 9, 2009, providing special provisions as to the manner of preparation of National Register of Indian Citizens (NRIC) in Assam based in relevant records.
In Lok Sabha replying to a question by Badruddin Ajmal, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs M Ramachandran said that these rules have been framed keeping in view the Citizenship Act, to enable the preparation of NRC in Assam.
�Applications would be invited from all the residents, for collection of specified particulars relating to each family and individuals, residing in a local area in the State including the citizenship status based on the National Register of Citizens 1951 and relevant records,� the Minister said.
On February 7, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, making an intervention at the Conference of Chief Ministers on Internal Security, had urged the Centre to adopt 1971 rolls as the base year for preparation of the National Register of Citizens.
Drawing the attention of the Centre, he underlined the need to include 1971 as the base year. Earlier, the State Government had written to the Home Ministry calling for review of its notification.
The amended notification issued by the Home Ministry, proposing 1966 electoral rolls as the cut-off period for update of the NRC, has left Assam Government to face the wrath of the community.
Following the issue of gazette notification by the Centre, the State Government has sent a letter to the Ministry of Home Affairs seeking a clarification on the mention of the clause �electoral rolls prior to the year 1971.
