GUWAHATI, Dec 26 - The State Government yet again imposed hurdles in the way of updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) by transferring officials involved in the process. This was the allegation of the All Assam Students� Union (AASU). The students� body also reiterated the demand that the electoral rolls should be revised on the basis of the updated NRC to prevent foreign nationals from casting their votes.
AASU chief adviser Samujjal Bhattacharya alleged that the State Government yesterday transferred more than 25 officers engaged in the process of updating the NRC in clear violation of the directives of the Supreme Court. Earlier also, the State Government had transferred Deputy Commissioners of five districts, which slowed down the process of updating the NRC in those districts. The Government is transferring officers despite a Supreme Court directive that the officers engaged in the process of updating the NRC should not be engaged in any other work. The AASU has decided to approach the Supreme Court appointed committee of retired High Court Judges in this connection.
Bhattacharya pointed out that the most vital phase of verifying the documents submitted by the applicants is now on and the Government should have extended full cooperation to the process if it is really interested in preparation of a correct NRC. But unfortunately, instead of doing so, the Government has been putting obstacles in the way, not only by engaging officers involved in the process in other works but also by transferring officers at a crucial time, he alleged.
The AASU chief adviser said that the Supreme Court, which is directly monitoring the process of updating the NRC, would monitor the progress again on January 13. In the previous hearing, the State Nodal officer for updating NRC had submitted that the process of verification of the documents would be completed by the middle of February so that the entire process can be completed by March. As the new Assembly has to be constituted by June 5, the Election Commission would have enough time to revise the electoral rolls on the basis of the NRC before the elections, he added.
