GUWAHATI, Oct 9 - Though leaders of different political parties and organizations have been speaking out against the process of filing of claims and objections on the draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC), while, some others even resorted to agitations, none has approached the Supreme Court appointed committee of retired Judges of the High Court with their grievances or to seek clarifications on the issue.
The Supreme Court, in July 2015, formed a committee of retired Judges of the High Court to help out the people to seek clarifications regarding the process and to lodge complains if any on the process of updating the NRC. Though the Court appointed a three member committee, one of the retired judges opted out due to personal reasons, while, two others, Justice DN Choudhury and Justice D Biswas accepted the offer and started functioning as members of the Committee. An office of the Committee was also set up in the Guwahati Circuit House. But it is learnt that the response from the people has been very poor.
Official sources told The Assam Tribune that initially a few persons came to meet members of the committee seeking clarifications and most of those were related to original inhabitants status given during the initial stages of preparation of the NRC as there were some confusion on the issue. But those who sought clarifications on the issue were informed that even those who were given original inhabitants status were also subject to scrutiny during the verification process and in the final NRC there would be no classification of Indian citizens.
There is also a provision for the people to lodge complaint with the Committee of retired Judges on the issue and even if anyone including any Government official obstructs the process of preparation of a correct NRC. But very few complaints were received by the Committee. �There were some issues which had to be referred to the State NRC Coordinator�s office and those issues were dealt with. But the overall response of the people is very poor,� sources admitted. The Committee did not have to report to the Supreme Court any major issue.
After the publication of the final draft on July 30, there has been spurt of political leaders making comments on the process of filing claims and objections, while, some organizations even resorted to agitations. But no one has approached the Committee of Retired High Court Judges on the issue. The members of the Committee are still visiting the office in the Circuit House regularly and the office staff is also present during the office hours. But no one including those making noises and launching agitations bothered to approach the committee, sources added.
Meanwhile, sources said that as the process of updating the NRC has been going on under the supervision of the Supreme Court and it was the Court, which decided on the documents which would be admissible for filing claims, those who have any objection, should have either approach the Court or the Committee appointed by the Court if they are really serious on the issue.
