GUWAHATI, June 1 - The process of updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) is on the right track and officials engaged in the job are confident of completing the task by July 31, the deadline stipulated by the Supreme Court.
Highly placed official sources told The Assam Tribune that around 75 per cent of the hearings on claims and objections filed on the draft of the NRC are complete and the rest would be completed within the stipulated time frame so that the final NRC can be published by July 31.
The officers, who were engaged in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, are being redeployed for the NRC update work. At present, around 3,300 officers and men are engaged in the NRC update process and reports of field officers will be verified by senior officers. Sources said the reports of field officers would be vetted by officers of the rank of district magistrates and circle officers to avoid possibility of any mistake to ensure that a correct NRC is prepared.
Sources, however, admitted that the problem the officers engaged in the process are facing is the fact that in most cases of objections, those who had filed the objections did not turn up for hearings despite they receiving notices well on time. In such cases, the officers engaged in the verification process have to go for ex parte hearing to dispose of the objections. However, the officers are verifying the grounds of objections, and the documents provided by the concerned persons to deal with such cases.
So far, there have been no law and order issues in the State during the NRC update process and necessary security cover has been provided in all the NRC hearing centres. Though some organisations are trying to spread romours against the hearing process and alleged that objections were being filed against genuine Indian citizens, sources said that no Indian citizen should be apprehensive as all the documents are being properly verified by the officers engaged in the job, while the reports of field officers would also be cross-checked by senior officers.
It may be mentioned here that there have been reports that in a large number of cases, objections were filed against genuine Indian citizens, while the Supreme Court recently directed the State NRC Coordinator to follow due procedure in adjudication of claims and objections. On the other hand, several organisations, including the All Assam Students� Union, have alleged that in many places of the State, those who had filed objections received threats from unscrupulous elements.
GUWAHATI, June 1 - The process of updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) is on the right track and officials engaged in the job are confident of completing the task by July 31, the deadline stipulated by the Supreme Court.
Highly placed official sources told The Assam Tribune that around 75 per cent of the hearings on claims and objections filed on the draft of the NRC are complete and the rest would be completed within the stipulated time frame so that the final NRC can be published by July 31.
The officers, who were engaged in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, are being redeployed for the NRC update work. At present, around 3,300 officers and men are engaged in the NRC update process and reports of field officers will be verified by senior officers. Sources said the reports of field officers would be vetted by officers of the rank of district magistrates and circle officers to avoid possibility of any mistake to ensure that a correct NRC is prepared.
Sources, however, admitted that the problem the officers engaged in the process are facing is the fact that in most cases of objections, those who had filed the objections did not turn up for hearings despite they receiving notices well on time. In such cases, the officers engaged in the verification process have to go for ex parte hearing to dispose of the objections. However, the officers are verifying the grounds of objections, and the documents provided by the concerned persons to deal with such cases.
So far, there have been no law and order issues in the State during the NRC update process and necessary security cover has been provided in all the NRC hearing centres. Though some organisations are trying to spread romours against the hearing process and alleged that objections were being filed against genuine Indian citizens, sources said that no Indian citizen should be apprehensive as all the documents are being properly verified by the officers engaged in the job, while the reports of field officers would also be cross-checked by senior officers.
It may be mentioned here that there have been reports that in a large number of cases, objections were filed against genuine Indian citizens, while the Supreme Court recently directed the State NRC Coordinator to follow due procedure in adjudication of claims and objections. On the other hand, several organisations, including the All Assam Students� Union, have alleged that in many places of the State, those who had filed objections received threats from unscrupulous elements.
